His Dark Arts
by Redshadow43
Summary: After the war ended, Lucius Malfoy helped restore Hogwarts and was made DADA Professor. Many 7th years had to return to finish up, including Hermione Granger. She and Ron never managed to become a couple, and now she just wants to finish school and move on with her life. However, newly divorced Professor Malfoy has other ideas in mind.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: First Day of School

"Honestly, Ronald, must you chew with your mouth open all the time?" Hermione Granger complained as she glared at her fellow boxcar companion in irritation. "It's no wonder we never got around to having sex when all you can think about is your stomach."

"Well, if you'd have been a bit less frigid we might have done," Ron pointed out around his mouthful of food. "And Harry, would you please stop making eyes at my sister, mate?"

"They're still dating," Hermione pointed out sharply, and Ron rolled his eyes and turned away from her, grabbing another biscuit to chew loudly as he put his feet up on the seat.

"Oh!" Hermione growled, but then Neville Longbottom stepped into their car and she perked up. "Neville, you're back again this year? Why didn't you graduate last year?"

"None of us did," he explained. "Every one of the seventh years from last year has to come back for a month long course to prepare for testing, and then we'll be graduating just before Halloween. McGonagall's implementing a special program just for us."

"Well, it's good to see you," she told him with a genuine smile. "How was your time off school this summer?"

"I kept pretty busy this summer," he told her. "I just started an internship at the Magical Plant Nursery, and they've given me the month off to finish up my schooling. Once I have my diploma they're going to pay for me to go to the college in Bath, where I can learn everything there is to know about plant pharmacology. It's going to be wicked."

"Wow, that is so great for you, Neville," she said. "Me, I have to be here all year, but who knows what I'll do when I've finished. Maybe Auror training, or even a job at the Ministry. With my status as a war hero, I should be able to land something really nice."

"Well, good luck, Hermione," Neville said. "I've got to get back to my car before Luna starts to wonder what happened to me."

"Oh, poor Luna," Hermione said. "How is she holding up without her father?"

"She's been running the Quibbler all by herself these days," he said. "It's not a lot of money, but at least it's enough to keep things going. I guess she's thinking about selling the old house and getting something a bit more manageable."

"And has she invited you to share the new home with her just yet?"

"No, we're taking things slow," he said with a sigh. "Is that girl talk for not sure if she wants me or not?"

"With Luna, it's hard to tell," Hermione said with a grimace. "Anyway, tell her I said hello, and I'll see you two later."

"Will do," Neville agreed as he headed down the narrow hall.

Hermione smiled as she watched him go. It seemed so strange to see all her classmates planning for their futures as adults, leaving behind their childhoods. She would soon have to do so as well, she knew, but at least she still had the greater part of a year before she had to worry.

It was late in the afternoon when they finally reached Hogsmeade station. Hermione watched fondly as the first years climbed out of the train and into the waiting boats that would take them to the castle without going through town. Though it had always seemed silly that only the upperclassmen could ride to school in the carriages, she found herself looking upon the tradition of taking the boats with a fond memory of her first years at Hogwarts.

Luna and Neville stood petting the Thestrals that were attached to the carriage that they were about to board along with about ten others, including Harry, Ron and herself. Hermione had only learned to see the horse-like creatures more recently, since she'd witnessed the carnage and death that happened in May. She'd fought at the Battle of Hogwarts alongside her friends, and saw many of them die. She had heard that the castle was now fully restored to its former glory in large part by the funding and actual time put in by Lucius Malfoy in restitution for his crimes.

She herself would have sent the man straight back to Azkaban, but apparently even though the Ministry would no longer allow him to work within their hallowed walls, they had granted him a stay of sentence in exchange for his service and support. It must all boil down to the fact that he had money, she figured, otherwise he'd be kissing Dementors right this minute.

As they all climbed into the carriage, Dean Thomas said, "It's good to see you again Harry, Ron, Hermione. You too, Ginny."

Harry replied, "Yes, hello Dean. So you're back for that one month program I've been hearing about as well, I take it?"

"Yeah," he said. "I'm really glad they're not going to make us take the entire year over again after all the hell Snape put us through under his regime. I just hope I'm able to pass the tests so I don't have to be here any longer. I've got plans to travel about Europe after I'm done here."

"It must be nice to know you've a nice, cushy job waiting when you get back, Dean," Ginny commented with a wry grin. "I want to try out for a Quidditch team myself when my year is up. Harry says he won't mind if I want to play professionally, as long as it doesn't interfere with the wedding plans."

"You two have wedding plans already?" Dean asked with a wrinkle of his nose. "I don't plan to get married for at least another five years."

"Well, that's probably because you don't have anyone you want to get married to," Harry pointed out. "It's a lot easier to say you're going to wait when there's no one to wait for."

"I did have my eye on one or two prospects," he admitted with a grin. "I just haven't quite got the list narrowed down yet."

"That figures," Ginny scoffed good-naturedly, and Dean laughed with her.

"Wow, look at that," Hermione gasped. "The place looks brand new again, doesn't it?"

"Hogwarts has never looked that good," Harry said. "I hear tell they replaced some of the stone with actual quartz crystals. It's supposed to help conduct the magic better."

"It'll be interesting to see if it works," Hermione answered. "If nothing else, it looks great."

"I can't wait to see the inside!" Ginny practically sang. "They had to rebuild Gryffindor tower completely. It has bigger bedrooms and everything."

"Looks like they built Slytherin a tower as well," Hermione commented dryly as the tower came into view. "Why am I not surprised?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: The Sorting Feast

Headmistress McGonagall stood before the assembled students as they sat at their prospective tables waiting for the feast to begin. She clapped her hands to get their attention, and all the chatter quieted down so she could give her speech.

"Welcome, everyone, to our newly repaired Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'd like to offer a huge thank you to our benefactor and new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Lucius Malfoy, for devoting so much time and energy into ensuring the continued education of all students here at our school. As always, I must remind all students that the Forbidden Forest is off limits, and no one is allowed to enter a restricted section without proper authorization from a teacher or myself. This year's Head Boy will be finishing up his Seventh year, since it was unfortunately interrupted by circumstances we do not care to discuss. The Head Girl is no surprise. I have chosen one of the most knowledgeable witches of the year, Miss Hermione Granger. And the Head Boy shall be Draco Malfoy."

"No favoritism there," Ron scoffed. "You knew about this, didn't you? Why didn't you say anything, Hermione?"

"Because we're not speaking," she reminded him testily. "Besides, I hardly wanted to listen to you complain all the way here."

"Now, it's time to sort the first years into their houses," McGonagall was saying. Since Hermione didn't know any of the new students personally she became bored with the spectacle rather quickly. Likewise she found no interest in the Quidditch discussion going on around her, so her thoughts began to drift to the library and all its books, when out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw Lucius Malfoy staring straight in her direction.

She glanced over, but his eyes were trained on McGonagall and the first years. She began to think she'd just imagined the whole thing. Why would Lucius Malfoy be watching her, anyway? Sure, he'd recently been divorced from Narcissa after she ran off with a younger man, but that would be no reason for a pureblood supremacist-even one who insisted he was now reformed-to be gazing upon a Muggleborn student as though he wished to devour her. Surely, she must be wrong.

As McGonagall took her seat again Hermione glanced at him again. This time she caught him for certain. Of course he looked quickly away, but seeing that he'd been spotted he just as quickly looked at her again. Hermione gazed right back, a sort of a test of wills to see which one of them would stop staring first. Of course she knew it was childish of her, but surely he must know it, too. And him a much older man into the bargain.

"Professor Malfoy, would you care to make a toast to begin the feast, since it is in great part because of you we are even having it?" McGonagall inquired, only now turning in his direction, and therefore unaware of his exchange with Hermione.

"Yes, of course," said Lucius as he tore his eyes away from hers and stood with his glass held high. "It has been an eye-opening experience for me to work alongside my fellow witches and wizards-including the half-bloods and Muggleborns, as we worked together to rebuild this school. I never knew before how much contribution people other than purebloods have made to our society, and today I stand here a humbled man. To say that I never expected my life to change drastically enough to wind up here would be a gross understatement, and yet as I look out on the sea of faces before me I cannot help but be pleased. I find myself looking forward to the new challenge you represent." His eyes met and held Hermione's yet again, and then he said, "So, without further ado-everybody dig in."

The students all cheered over the brevity of Professor Malfoy's speech, and then the food appeared before them, and they were happy to obey the new Professor's cheerfully delivered command. All of them except Hermione. She was still staring at the man in consternation as he cast her a quick smile before he winked and turned away completely.

Just what was she supposed to make of that? She looked around to see if her friends had noticed, but Ron, Harry and Ginny were already deep in conversation.

"I can't believe we're going to learn about the Dark Arts from an ex-Death Eater," Ginny said in a somewhat conspiratorial tone.

Ron said, "I think McGonagall's lost her mind, hiring the likes of him."

"Well, at least we know he has an excellent grasp of the subject matter," Hermione commented, using the conversation as an excuse to look at the man in question once more. He was in a conversation with Madame Pomfrey which seemingly had his full attention, but Hermione could sense that his thoughts had not strayed far from her, regardless of his focused attempts to seem elsewise engaged. Her brow furrowed again as she patently looked away, determined not to allow her eyes to stray in that direction any longer.

However, as soon as she looked back to the table, all she could seem to notice was how Ron shoveled his food into his mouth. The sound of his eating so annoyed her that it put her off her own food, and she very much wished she had joined Draco at the Head student's table, where she would be expected to eat after this.

Perhaps that was why Lucius was giving her such odd looks, she thought as her stomach tightened into a little ball of nerves. He thinks I should be in my proper place, beside his son at the Head table, on display. However, she also took note at the same time the thought occurred that Draco himself was also seated among his friends, rather than sitting where he belonged. So that wasn't it.

A little voice in the back of her head admonished that she knew exactly why Lucius Malfoy's gaze kept falling to her. He was a man, after all, and men had needs. Narcissa had been gone long enough by now that he must be starting to feel the effects of her absence, and his eye would naturally begin to wander. She could feel the direction of his thoughts, almost as if his hands were on her already.

Unwanted, a little thrill passed through her body. A man like him-a dark and dangerous man, a man who had seen and done many dark things, might be quite good at other things of a more carnal nature. A little part of her mind began to imagine just what those things might be, so that her cheeks were flushed as she stared down at her plate of food.

"Hermione, are you all right?" Harry asked as he watched her. "You're not becoming ill, are you?"

"What? Oh no, of course not," she said as she mechanically put some food or other onto her fork and placed whatever it was into her mouth. "I'm just dreading the thought of meeting up with Draco after we eat and going to our dorm."

"It's going to seem strange, not having you in our dorm this year," Ginny told her. "I'm not going to have anybody to gossip with in the middle of the night."

"Well, then maybe this time you'll get enough sleep to actually stay awake during class," Harry teased her. Ginny punched him in the arm, and they all laughed. Hermione realized with a start of surprise that by this time tomorrow she wouldn't be sitting here with her best friends enjoying such antics. She'd be stuck making small talk with Draco Malfoy. And in even closer proximity to his father as a result.

"You know, I think I may just go back to my dorm now, and get the jump on him," she commented as her stomach began to churn with both disgust and desire at the same time. "Maybe if I'm lucky I'll already be asleep by the time he comes around."

"You're sure you're feeling okay, Hermione?" Harry insisted. "Would you like Gin and I to walk with you?"

"I'm fine, Harry," she practically snapped at him. "I've just got to get out of this loud, stuffy room, that's all. Maybe I'll sneak a peek in the library, see what they've done to it."

"All right, then," he said. "We'll see you in class tomorrow, first thing. And now that I don't have my book, your potion is sure to be better than mine."

Hermione blushed gratefully, and said, "Thanks, Harry." Then quick as she could, she left the hall, stealing a glance at Lucius as she did so. His eyes followed her all the way out.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: DADA Class

Hermione had gotten her wish concerning Draco coming in after she was already in her bed. She could hear him coming up the stairs, talking to someone, and she felt her wayward belly give a little flip as she recognized the voice of his companion. Lucius had come with his son to the dorm, for whatever reason, and now the two were sharing a laugh about something.

The sound of Lucius Malfoy's unguarded laughter did queer things to Hermione's insides. She imagined what it would be like if he suddenly came into her room and got into her bed. That thought had her so hot her breasts began to ache, and her face grew damp with a light sheen of sweat as she tried to get the images out of her mind.

She grabbed the nearest book and tried to read. She knew the next day was going to be even more trying than this, if she couldn't even calm her hormones while the man was in a different room from her own. DADA class was likely to be a living hell.

Posted on the wall in a prominent position was a seating chart for each of Lucius's four classes, written in his precise, careful penmanship. Hermione saw with dread that he'd placed her front and center in her class with him, with his son being the only other student in that row-though thankfully with an empty desk between them.

His back was turned to the class as she took her seat and began her meticulous ritual of setting up her desk for the two hours she would be there. She felt rather than saw the man turn around just as the last student took his seat.

"Hello everyone, I'm certain I need no introduction, but I'll give one anyway, just in case," he said with an affable smile. "I am Lucius Malfoy, your Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor. Now, as this is my N.E.W.T. class, and as I happen to know that many of you are members of the army that Mr. Potter trained, I am going to assume that you are all familiar with some of the finer arts of dueling, and start this class off with a bang. How would you all like to see a duel between my son, who has been trained in many of the darker spells, and one of the most famous of our war heroes?"

Hermione smiled along with everyone else, looking around in an expectation of seeing either Ron or Harry in the room, but finding neither. Her stomach began to sink and her eyes widened. She was the only famous war hero in the room.

"Miss Granger, if you will?" he said as he stepped over to her seat and held out a hand for her to take. Hermione looked at it like it was a snake about to bite her, and she looked up into his eyes. He didn't move a muscle as he gazed into her eyes with an expectant air. Hermione's eyes never left his as she took the hand and let him draw her to her feet. A little spark of white-hot desire passed between them, unmistakable in its intensity. Lucius did not immediately let her go, and she stood holding his hand for a good thirty seconds before someone in the room cleared their throat.

With a slight blush, Hermione slid her hand out of Lucius's and took her position on the dueling stage opposite Draco, who looked annoyed. He cast her a smug look as he got into a dueling stance, and Hermione smiled malevolently back as she also got into position.

"Now, as this is a classroom situation, I will expect the two of you to avoid firing spells out into the crowd, and cast only spells that will not prove fatal to your opponent," said Lucius. "Beyond that, let's see just how dirty the two of you can play."

"Seriously?" Hermione asked, one brow raised. "Anything goes?"

"Yes, my dear," he said. "That should help you and my son to burn off some of your pent up frustrations with one another."

"It's not Draco I'm frustrated with lately," she answered cryptically, in a voice only he could hear.

"Glad to hear it, my dear," he whispered back. Then he moved away from her, leaving her feeling decidedly hot and bothered and trying to get her mind back into the duel she was about to fight. Draco lobbed a spell that knocked her right on her arse.

Lucius came back over to help her up, loudly saying, "In this class, Miss Granger, concentration is the key. Would you let your enemy take advantage of you in such a way. Now, let's see what you're really made of."

"If you insist," she said, her wounded pride giving her the incentive to do as he suggested. Before he even had a chance to let go of her arm, Hermione lobbed three spells at Draco in quick succession. First, the Expelliarmus, then a Confundus, followed by a Rictusempra. The unsuspecting Draco gasped as his wand flew from his grasp, then he forgot what a wand was, and as a final insult he busted up laughing as his body started tickling everywhere all at once.

"Very good," said Lucius, squeezing her arm ever so slightly before he let her go. "I'll have to keep a close eye on you, Miss Granger."

Hermione's hormones went into overdrive. Her face flushed, her breath quickened, and she had to look down at her own feet to keep anyone from seeing how much the Professor's words affected her.

"Yes, sir," she whispered.

"Okay, Draco, like I taught you, pull yourself out of it," Lucius grumbled as he realized his son was still giggling. "Back to your seat, Miss Granger. I think you've shown everybody what you're made of."

"Thank you, sir," she said, and quickly returned to her seat, trying not to meet anyone's eyes.

"Teacher's pet," muttered someone behind her. She hunched into her chair, not bothering to determine who the speaker might be. She suspected it might be Neville Longbottom, but thought he was beyond so childish a thing. There was that word, childish, again. She'd caught herself using it often lately, at first directed predominantly towards Ron Weasley, but now it was creeping into her daily vocabulary. She must be more mature nowadays than she used to be. Which, of course, only made sense since she was now over the age of seventeen, almost eighteen already.

An unbidden thought followed this observation: would Lucius Malfoy find me mature enough? Quickly she tamped the thought down. It didn't matter if her Professor thought she was mature or not-he was a teacher and she was his student. She needed to keep those roles in perspective and get ahold of herself. But alas, that was difficult to do when every time she looked up from the paper Lucius assigned after the ill-fated battle, she found his eyes upon her.

What could he be about, to single her out in such a way? And the other students must have noticed, too, or she wouldn't have been called "teacher's pet" so readily. Perhaps they didn't see it, perhaps Neville, or whoever the boy was that had called her that, was thinking only of the fact she was a "famous war hero", and had based the statement solely on that. Or perhaps she was fooling herself.

Either way, she had to get a handle on her emotional turmoil where Lucius Malfoy was concerned. It hadn't been so long ago that they were bitter enemies, so really she shouldn't be having any feelings for him now, should she? But apparently, her wayward body didn't seem to agree.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Head Students' Table

"So, Granger, did you have fun flirting with my bleedin' father earlier?" Draco asked Hermione after they'd sat silently eating at the Head students' table that night. The food in her mouth suddenly made Hermione choke.

"What did you say?" she asked when she was able. "About me and your father, I mean. O was not flirting with him."

"Well, it sure looked that way from where I was standing," he answered with a smirk. "I think the old man has taken a fancy to you. That should prove helpful when it comes time for grades."

"Draco, don't be stupid," she chastised him. "Of course your father has no interest in me. I'm not-well, let's say I'm not his type."

"Do you mean because you're a Mudblood?" Draco asked. "He's given all that pureblood rubbish up now, you know. He even decided he's not going to arrange my marriage, so I'll get to choose a wife of my own. I mean to marry a pureblood, though. It only seems right to follow tradition after so many centuries."

"Well, I'm very glad to hear it," Hermione said in a less than pleased tone. I'm sure that whoever she is will be very proud. Excessively so, no doubt."

"Ha!" he snorted. "You only think like that because you can't have me yourself."

"I wouldn't have anything to do with you in a million years," she informed him haughtily.

"Of course you wouldn't," he said. "You're too busy going after my father."

"Oh!" she grumbled as she got up to go. "You're absolutely impossible."

"Where are you going, Granger?" he wanted to know. "Are you seriously going to leave me sitting here alone?"

"Yes, I am," she informed him. "And until you can learn some proper manners, alone you shall stay."

With those parting words, she stormed out of the room, well aware of all the eyes upon her. But most of all, she was very aware of one pair of eyes even though she did not look to see him watching her. Her mind supplied a memory of what her eyes refused to seek-the stormy gray eyes of Lucius Malfoy.

#

"I must be in hell," Hermione muttered to herself when she reached the entrance to her dorm and found a note floating there. Scrawled in practically illegible text were the wors 'teacher's pet'. She could only be thankful that she had found it herself' rather than either of the Malfoys.

After entering the dorm Hermione decided she could really use a nice hot shower and a cool drink afterwards. She padded up the stairs and into the bathroom she had to share with the ferret, and soon the feel of water cascading down her skin left her feeling more relaxed.

Wrapped in her warm, comfy robe, Hermione sighed with satisfaction as she hunkered down on her bed with a good book, ready to read her cares away.

"You'll get a crick in your neck lying like that," said a voice from out of the shadows. Hermione sat up like a shot and glared as a smirking Lucius Malfoy stepped into the light.

"What are you doing in here?" she demanded hotly as she wrapped her robe more firmly around her and made a break toward the door.

"Hermione, stop over-reacting," he said, the smirk growing as he easily caught her before she reached her destination. "I merely came looking for you, and found you were not in here. I was about to leave when you came in, I can assure you."

"Okay, Professor Malfoy, then why are you looking for me?"

"I happened to think you're not eating very well," he commented dryly. "That's two dinners in a row you've stormed out on. And, as a professor here, I must take an active role in ensuring the health and well-being of the students. So, since my son's company did not seem to please you, I thought perhaps you might care to dine with me instead."

"Have you completely taken leave of your senses, sir?" she wanted to know. "Haven't you heard what people have been calling me? Instead of the know-it-all, a title I kind of like, they're now calling me 'teacher's pet', and of course they must be referring to you. Who else has been following me about like a little dog who lost his tail?"

"Lost my tail, have I?" he chuckled. "Then perhaps you would be so kind, Miss Granger, as to help me find it again."

"What?" Hermione gasped. Lucius drew her into his arms and pinned her body to his. The bulge hidden beneath his robe was unmistakable-she could tell quite well just how attractive the man found her, and the knowledge sent her senses reeling as she stood there gazing at him.

"Do you feel that, my dear?" he inquired with a sexy smile that had her heart thudding in her chest. "Do you see how much I want you to be the teacher's pet? If you would let me, I could have you screaming my name in no time."

Hermione knew he was telling the truth. This man was so sexy that she was practically screaming his name all ready. But she hadn't given her virginity to Ron, whom she had believed herself in love with, so why would she be so daft as to give it to a man who could not possibly love her? With the last of her willpower she pushed herself free of his arms, then pointed at her door.

"Get out of my room, Lucius."

"That's Professor Lucius, my dear," he said, as unruffled as ever as he straightened his clothing and strode out the door. "See you in class."

With a disgusted sigh, Hermione went back over to her bed and fell onto it with her arms crossed over her chest. Well, at least she knew for sure what the man was thinking. He was no longer getting sex at home, and he was hoping to get it here instead. But was she the only girl he had an eye for, or not?

"Well, I do not share," she grumbled in a pouty tone as she pounded her pillow into shape.

"Granger, are you in there?" Draco called as he reached the top of the stairs. "I just saw my father leaving. So, how was it?"

"How was what, Draco?" Hermione growled irritably.

"Sex with the expert, of course," Draco sneered. "Didn't you know? He had a nickname amongst the Death Eaters. 'the Love Master."

"What the heck kind of name is that?" she wanted to know.

"Apparently, he really loves to-"

"Ugh! Draco, that's not a thing you should just tell someone about your own father," she grumbled. "And we didn't do anything, just so you know. I'd better not wake up tomorrow and find myself being called 'the Professor's Piece' next, or I'll know you're the one who started it."

"Hm, that's not a bad idea," he said with a grin as he held his chin as though he were giving the idea a great deal of thought.

"Get out of my room, Draco!"

"That's Malfoy to you," he sneered, and then he turned and headed down the hall and went into his own room, slamming the door shut behind him.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Slughorn's Inquiry

"Miss Granger, I wondered if I could have a word," said Professor Slughorn the next day, bright and early in the potions classroom. Hardly anyone was there yet, so the man had plenty of time to sit waiting as usual. Hermione had no idea what he would have to say to her that would negate him sipping at his pumpkin juice as per usual.

"Yes, certainly, Professor," she answered. "What is it?"

Looking around to make sure no one was listening, Slughorn moved forward and whispered, "There's been some talk about you and Malfoy."

"Draco?" she asked. "What about him?"

"No, no, not that Malfoy," he corrected, looking around again. "I meant Professor Malfoy."

Hermione's brow shot up in surprise and irritation. "What about Professor Malfoy?"

"Well, my dear, I never thought that you and I would have to speak of this, but-" he looked around again. "It's usually frowned upon for a student and a Professor to-well, you know."

"No, I don't know," she spat out venomously. "Why don't you spell it out for me, Professor?"

"I don't wish to pry, my dear, but have you and Malfoy-that is to say, Professor Malfoy-" he began, growing more embarrassed as he continued. "-have you-done anything of a compromising nature? Not that it's my business, of course, I just want you to understand that if you have, or even if you haven't-well, you shouldn't."

"Horace, I'm a grown woman now," Hermione told him. "So if I wanted to-as you so aptly put it-compromise myself with Lucius Malfoy or any other Professor, for that matter, I'd be well within my rights to do so."

"Another Professor, Hermione?" he gasped. "Merlin's beard, isn't one enough for you?"

"Oh no, Horace, I thought I'd just make the rounds," she responded with plenty of sarcasm. "I was thinking of having a go at Flitwick next. I heard his wick was a bit more than a flit."

"Miss Granger!" he gasped in shock. "I never want to hear such talk from you again."

"Then perhaps you should not ask such personal questions, sir," she told him, and turned to take her seat. Slughorn went back to his own desk in quite a dither, muttering about the impropriety of it all.

Hermione was not amused. And, worse yet, Draco had come in and taken his own seat as they'd been talking, and by the smirk he was wearing she knew he'd heard the entire conversation.

"What are you looking at, Draco?" she asked on a sigh.

"Having a go at Flitwick, eh?" he whispered as he tried not to laugh. "That one's good enough to tell to the old man. Although, he might be quite jealous when he hears it. He's not a man who likes to share his playthings."

"Oh Merlin, is there a full moon out or something?"

"What do you mean?" Draco inquired.

"Well, all the men around here are acting like wolves, so I just thought I'd check."

"Class, good morning," said Professor Slughorn in a slightly quavering voice. "As you know, today's lesson is on the fundamentals of advanced potion making. If you would all please open your books to page-um-"

"What page, Professor?" asked one of the boys irritably.

"Um-" he said, face growing beat red. "P-page sixty-nine. Yes, the lesson starts on page sixty-nine."

Several of the students snickered at this, and Hermione hunched over her book, trying not to blush. Draco saw this, and barked out one short, loud laugh before turning to the page as well.

"Sixty-nine, yes, that's something the Death Eaters said he did quite well," he whispered, staring at his book instead of looking at Hermione. "Of course, you know, if you were doing that you'd have to use your mouth for something besides knowing all the answers."

"Draco, will you please shut up," Hermione hissed back. "He's going to come back over here if you keep it up. I, for one, do not want to talk to him again."

Draco snickered again, but said nothing more for the rest of the class.

#

"Hermione!" called Harry from down the hall. A sea of other students separated them, and he called again, "Hey, Hermione!"

"Harry, yes?" she said as he caught up with her. She wasn't sure she wanted to talk to him, in light of the fact it seemed like everyone she'd met today was inquiring about her and Professor Malfoy.

"Say, listen, Hermione," he said as he fell into step with her. "I've been hearing your name crop up quite a little bit today. Seems somebody saw Professor Malfoy leaving your dorm when Draco wasn't even in it. Do you know anything about that?"

"Of course I do," she said. "He came looking for his son, and when he wasn't there he left again."

"Ah yes, I thought it must be something like that," he said with a laugh. "I mean, imagine, you and Lucius Malfoy. That'd never happen, right."

"Yeah, right," she answered with an uncertain laugh. "What would an ex-Death Eater want with me?"

"I meant because you didn't want him, Hermione," said Harry, starting to look uncomfortable. "You would never want to be with him."

Hermione forced a smile onto her face. "Of course not," she answered in a totally unconvincing tone. "Well, I gotta go, Harry. I've got Defense Against the Dark Arts now."

"Good luck, Hermione," Harry answered, concern etched into his features.

"Yeah, thanks," she answered uncomfortably, and then she turned to head to class.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: Another Duel

Hermione stepped into class a couple minutes late, only to find that all of the students had been divided into pairs and they were ranged along the dueling stage so that each pair could duel.

"You're late, Miss Granger," Professor Malfoy said from behind her as she stepped in. "I'm afraid all the students have already been paired off. You don't appear to have a partner."

"Oh," said Hermione dumbly as she gazed at the others. "So, I guess I should just sit down then?"

"Not at all, Miss Granger," he said with a smile. "There appears to be one stage left. What do you say you and I pair off? I'll bet you're just dying to match skills with me again."

"After the day I've had so far?" she scoffed. "You must have a death wish."

"Indulge me, my dear," he said, smiling even more. "I long for a sparring partner who has enough skill to best me. That is, when she's not distracted by-other considerations."

The last of this was whispered into her ear, and Hermione knew full well he'd done it on purpose, hoping that he'd make it more difficult for her to concentrate. Gooseflesh rose down her neck as the heat of his breath grazed her ear, and she began to wonder if his tactic was going to work.

"You want a battle?" she said with bravado. "You've got one."

"Just remember, it's a duel, not a death match," he felt the need to remind her.

"I'll try," she answered.

Lucius took her by the elbow and escorted her to the open stage. When they were there, he bent and whispered, "Try hard, my dear. I'm grading this performance."

The way he said it sounded rather seductive, as though he were thinking of a completely different type of performance as he said it. The blood in Hermione's veins caught fire, and she took a ragged breath as Lucius let go and walked over to his side of the field.

"Hey, everybody, look!" shouted Neville. "Hermione's having a go at the Professor!"

Adrenaline surging, Hermione got into her dueling stance, and took a moment to admire the form of her partner. "Well, you look pretty enough," she told him. "Let's see how you handle this!"

Hermione sent a wordless Expelliarmus as she spoke, but Lucius was ready for her. He sucked the energy of the spell into himself, and lobbed it back at her in a white-hot wave. Hermione dodged the full force of the blast as every other person in the room gasped in surprise. Within moments, she lobbed two counter-curses, one of which he absorbed, but the other-an Immobulus-made his body stiffen momentarily.

"Relashio!" Lucius shouted, enabling himself to move again. "Tarantallegra!"

Hermione's body began to contort against her will, dancing. With a playful grin, Lucius moved his wand in the directions he wanted her to go, slowing and speeding up as he pleased. Dancing with her, he stepped up to her and asked, "No counter, Miss Granger?"

"Finite Incantatum," she whispered, her voice deceptively sweet as she leaned toward him, her face mere inches from his own. Lucius swallowed hard as he gazed into her eyes and she gazed into his. Then, with the sweetest smile she could conjure, Hermione said, "Flipendo!"

Lucius flew backwards and landed on his arse. Springing to his feet again, he chuckled, "You little minx. It seems we've gathered a crowd, love. How about giving them a real show?" Lucius whirled about and shouted, "Stupefy!"

"Protego! Anteoculatia!"

Lucius gasped as his gorgeous mane turned into antlers, then got a devious look as he countered with " Densaugeo!"

Horrified, Hermione felt her front teeth grow to twice their size. She touched them for a second, then shouted, " Furnunculus!" only it came out more like "Frmumculus!" and the spells veered off to the side and hit Neville Longbottom square in the face. Large boils began to erupt all over his body, and Lucius immediately stopped what he was doing and rushed over to him.

" Finite Incantatum!" he tried, but all that did was stop more boils from growing, return Lucius's hair to its natural luster, and shrink Hermione's teeth down to size. Neville's boils remained.

"Oh, damn," Lucius said uncertainly. "Seamus, would you please escort Neville to the hospital wing. It seems he's going to require a bit of attention."

"I'm sorry, Neville," Hermione told him, but he looked away as he walked past her.

"Don't worry, my dear, he'll get over it," Lucius said as he laid a hand on her shoulder. Hermione looked at it and sighed. Lucius Malfoy the Death Eater never would have touched her, but Professor Lucius Malfoy seemed to take every opportunity he could. She glanced up into his eyes and saw a glimmer in them that made her stomach flip.

"Well, at least we both know how to piss each other off nicely in a duel," Lucius chuckled. "Class, everyone return to your seats, and turn to chapter seventeen. You may study for the rest of today's class."

Hermione sat down and opened her book, but she wasn't reading it at all. Her body was too aware of Lucius's proximity, making her heart beat faster and making it difficult to keep her breathing even. She put all of her concentration into doing so, however. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to know just how much she was affected by his touch or his nearness-most especially the man himself.

He watched her far too much as she sat there, catching glimpses out of the corner of her eye. What was it about her that so fascinated a man twice her age and with such different roots? Why was he launching an all-out onslaught on her senses, reveling in her discomfort?

Hermione sighed softly. Perhaps he was just doing it because she was a Muggleborn, and he'd known her for so long. Perhaps he thought that obtaining her affections would allow him to further demonstrate how much he had changed his ways.

Or perhaps it was none of those things at all. Perhaps he genuinely found her just as enticing as she found him.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: Weekend Madness

"Draco, must you chew so loudly?" Hermione complained as she sat with him at the Head student's table a few hours later.

"What's your problem, Granger? Lover's spat?"

"What are you talking about, ferret?" she grumbled as she rubbed her temples.

"Well, you and my father had quite a duel earlier," he said with a smirk. "So, when are you two going to kiss and make up?"

"Draco, I don't know what your fascination is with pairing me up with your father, but I really wish you'd find a different topic to discuss," she said, her eyes closed as she fought off a headache. "If I even hear one thing about him this weekend, I'll hex whoever says it."

"Well, unfortunately for you, Granger, my father is coming to visit me in our dorm tomorrow."

"He's what?" she asked, eyes shooting open.

"He's coming to visit," he repeated. "We are planning on playing Wizard chess and eating popcorn balls until we puke. We used to do that with my Mum until she took off with her lover. Where she found that guy, I don't know. He seems like a total prat."

"Have you seen your mother since she left, Draco?" asked Hermione sympathetically. However much she didn't like him, she was just too compassionate to let his statement go unnoticed.

"No, why should I want to see her?" he scoffed. "I'm glad to see the back of her, if that's how much she cares."

"You know, Draco, it probably had very little to do with her feelings towards you," she pointed out. "She and your father were never in love, after all, and their reason for staying together has outlived its purpose. Why shouldn't she be allowed to find true happiness with the man of her choice?"

Draco sneered, "Who are you, then? A bloody Muggle psychologist? Why don't you just go back to Muggle school and take Muggle classes and get on with your silly Muggle life?"

"Because I'm not just a Muggle, I'm also a witch," Hermione pointed out. "I chose to leave the Muggle world when I Obliviated my parents. There's nothing there for me now."

"And you think there's a place for you here?" he inquired. "You're an enigma, Granger. Neither one thing nor the other. You'll never fit in completely no matter where you go. At least I know who and what I am. You, you're nothing but a confused little girl playing at adult games. But my father is not a child, he's a man-a very powerful one. He could have anybody he wanted, and yet he chooses to dally with a silly little Mudblood. I don't know what he's thinking anymore."

"Draco, I told you before, if you continue to harass me, you'll be sitting here alone," Hermione growled as she leaned forward. "I've told you already, your father and I have not been dallying, and as for being a Mudblood, I have accepted the fact that some witches and wizards are less accepting than others. But now it's time for those people to jump down off their high horses and rejoin reality. I'm here to stay, Draco Malfoy. That is my choice, and I'm not going back on it for the likes of you."

"Draco?" said Lucius from behind her. "The two of you are noticeably loud. Do you wish for the other students and staff to hear what you are saying to Miss Granger? Did we not discuss that the old ways and habits need to be changed?"

"Sorry, Father," he said sullenly.

Lucius put a hand on each of their shoulders, and added, "I would like for the two of you to get along in future. Do you think you could put the past in the past where it belongs, and join me in moving on into the future?"

"Yes, sir," said Draco, still looking down.

"Hermione?" he asked. Their eyes met and held, his pleading, hers angry at first. Something in the way he looked at her melted her insides like butter, and finally she looked down as her cheeks grew quite warm.

"I will try, for the sake of good relations between your kind and mine," she muttered.

"Hermione," he said, turning her face up to look at him again. "There is no 'your kind' and 'my kind' anymore. Do try to remember that."

Unable to speak through a lump in her throat, Hermione looked away again and simply nodded.

"Good," he said. "Then I shall see you both tomorrow. And perhaps Hermione will join us in a few games of chess, hm?"

She still didn't answer, but he did not wait for one. He just walked back over to the Professors' table with an enigmatic smile gracing his handsome face.

#

As she was leaving the Great Hall, Harry Potter caught her by the elbow and pulled her aside. Rolling her eyes, she went along quietly into an empty alcove with a window. The availed herself of it, staring out at the darkened sky.

"Hermione, what's the matter with you lately?" he wanted to know. "Do you know that the whole school just saw Lucius Malfoy and you gazing into each other's eyes like a couple of lovesick cows? I thought you told me you weren't together."

"We aren't, Harry," she said in exasperation. "He was just trying to stop Draco and I fighting. I guess we were getting rather loud, and he was afraid everyone would hear it."

"Hermione, I-I want you to know that if you want to be with him, I'll support you one hundred percent," he said softly. "I believe that Lucius Malfoy truly has made some great strides towards changing for the better, and perhaps the two of you together is not as crazy an idea as it seems."

"Thanks for your permission, Harry, but I thought I was a big girl now," she said with a chuckle. "You do know, don't you, that a lady has to be asked before she can answer one way or another?"

"He hasn't asked you, then?"

"No, he hasn't," she said. "Well, unless you count wanting to share a meal as asking."

Harry snickered. "Which meal? Dinner or breakfast?"

"Dinner, Harry," she said as she bumped him in the elbow.

"Yes, I think in a way, that is asking," he said.

"But I told him no, and to get out of my bedroom," she added with a chuckle of her own. Then, without explaining further, she walked quickly down the hall.

"Hermione?" he gasped as he tried to follow. Other students milled about, blocking him. "Wait, Hermione!"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: Check Mate

When Professor Lucius Malfoy arrived to play chess Hermione made quite certain she was in her bedroom just to be obstinate. Really, he may be able to dictate her actions in class or elsewhere in the school, but in her dorm he had no right whatsoever.

A knock sounded on her door, and when she did not answer Lucius opened it and raised a brow. "Are you sulking because I won our duel, Miss Granger?" he inquired with a smirk.

"You did not win, and I'm not sulking," she said firmly. "I am simply not in the mood for your company. Why don't you just go visit your son?"

"Draco is a deplorable chess player," he said dismissively. "Besides, my dear, I find you much easier on the eyes."

"Don't be ridiculous," Hermione scoffed. "Draco is almost as handsome as you are."

As soon as the words came out of her mouth, Hermione mentally kicked herself in the head. What was Lucius likely to think with her saying a thing like that?

"Really, Miss Granger?" he asked as his smirk broadened out into a grin. "And pray tell, when exactly did you arrive at this opinion?"

"God, you're so damned conceited," Hermione grumbled. "Why don't you go play chess or something?"

"I thought I was doing that in here," he teased her, one hand coming up to play with a strand of her hair.

"You're impossible," she told him, shaking her head. "Okay, fine, if it'll get you out of my bedroom I'll go play a couple games."

"Good," he said with a smile. "But that's just to get me out of your room this time. What are you going to do when I enter it again?"

"Oh, maybe a hex or two would do the job," she said with a wicked smile.

"Sounds like foreplay to a bloke like me," he answered with a grin.

Hermione couldn't help herself. She started to laugh with him, enjoying the sound of his voice now that it was not raised against her with hatred and malice in its tone. With an unspoken unity of purpose, the pair of them stepped out into the hall, only to find Draco gazing inquisitively.

"Hello, Draco, glad to see you could join us," Lucius commented dryly.

"Since when does Granger rate before me?" Draco snapped irritably. "I thought I was the one you were coming to see, and yet here I find you seeking her out first."

"Now son, don't be so melodramatic," he said in lofty tones. "Miss Granger's door happens to be closer to the stairs than yours."

"Yes, Father," he grumbled, casting Hermione an annoyed look.

The three of them went downstairs and Draco brought out the Wizarding chess board. With a wave of his wand, the arena was set, with all creatures properly place to begin the game.

"Why don't the two of you play first, and I'll challenge the winner?" suggested Hermione with a nod to Draco, who smiled with gratification.

"Very well, then," Lucius agreed.

"I'll make us some tea, shall I?" she asked.

"Yes, please do, Miss Granger," Lucius agreed. "That would be lovely."

By the time Hermione returned from the small kitchenette at the back of the dorm Draco had already been defeated twice. With a smirk just visible on her lips, she had to admit that Lucius was right. His son most definitely was a bad chess player.

"So, Miss Granger, let us see how well you can battle on this field," said Lucius with a devilish grin.

"I'm going to wipe the floor with you," she said.

"Maybe later," he answered with a wink.

"Oh!" she growled, clenching and unclenching her hands a few times. "You're completely annoying."

"If you didn't care you'd simply ignore me," he pointed out. "I wonder, Miss Granger, if you've ever counted how many times your eyes seek me out in class when you think I'm not looking. More than I can count on two hands."

"I do not!" she protested hotly as she directed a pawn to move.

Draco growled fiercely and stormed up the stairs. Neither pair of eyes followed.

"Do you know your eyes flash like fire when you're angry?" Lucius inquired.

"You'd know, you've seen me angry on more than one occasion," she said.

"Turn," he told her as his own pawn moved forward. They paused to watch the two chess pieces obliterate each other, with his pawn being the victor.

"Tut, tut, Miss Granger," he said. "Can we not at least try to be friends?"

"That's just it, Lucius," she countered. "Why would you want to be friends with a Mudblood like me?"

"I have left behind my old ways, my dear," he told her. "They are cast off, and I find in their place a great desire to make it up to you."

"Just me?" she clarified. "Me, and not the others?"

"Yes, well-all of the people I have wronged, of course," he said, reaching across the battlefield to take hold of her hand. "But most especially you."

"Why?" she breathed out, her pulse quickening at his touch.

"You know why, my dear," he answered. "Don't evade my words now, I'm trying to apologize, and it's not something I tend to do often."

"Is that the only reason you've been practically throwing yourself at me?" she asked him then.

"Hermione, no," he said. "I'm not trying to throw myself at you, it's just that you're so difficult to ignore. I've realized over the summer that I wronged you greatly in the past, and so when I saw you-really, truly saw you, and not just some Mudblood, I realized that I wanted to tell you how wrong I'd been. But I also noticed you as a woman as well, for now that I am free to do as I choose, I am breaking no vow in doing so."

"I-I don't know how to respond to that," Hermione admitted, blushing as she realized he still had hold of her hand. When she tried to reclaim it, Lucius held fast and drew her towards him instead.

Noses almost touching, Lucius whispered," Can you not see the me behind the Death Eater as well?"

"No, Professor, I can't," she said nervously. "We're enemies, you and I, aren't we?"

"We are not," he insisted. "Not for months now. Not since the Dark Lord finally met his end and left me here to do as I please. I will never use that dreadful word-Mudblood-again. I swear it."

"Let me go," Hermione breathed, trembling now.

Instead, he brought her around the small table the chess board was on and sat her with him on the loveseat he was seated in. When he had her there, he leaned down and, grasping her chin to tilt her face up to his, he kissed her.

"Oi! I knew it!" Draco shouted from the top of the stairs. As Lucius got up to follow his running son back into his room, Hermione took off like a shot out into the halls. She thought this might be a great time to go to the library and stay there for the next two days.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: The Library

Hermione felt a few tears slide down her cheek as she stepped into the library and found an empty place to sit. She had no idea what she was going to do about this. She had yet to sort out the idea that Lucius Malfoy had looked at her to begin with. How was she supposed to feel about him actually kissing her?

It wasn't a bad kiss, she had to admit. In fact, her body was still tingling as a result. She hadn't noticed it while she was running through the hall, but now that she was sitting still for a time and her heart continued to race, she had to admit he'd had quite an effect on her. A large part of her wanted to run right back and fling herself into his arms, to explore these new sensations further.

Certainly, no one had ever made her feel like this-not even Ron, and she'd fancied she was in love with him for years. Out of curiosity, Hermione speculated on each time she'd ever seen Lucius Malfoy. She could not remember anything but disdain on his countenance until just this month, when she'd returned to school.

Could a man truly change his stripes in such a small timeframe? Could a man suddenly realize a desire he hadn't known was there before-or perhaps Lucius had realized it before this?-and defy everything he'd ever been taught so completely? Had he thought through the consequences of taking up with her? Did he not see the censure that was sure to follow an ex-Death Eater and a Muggleborn falling in love and-and maybe even marrying some day? And was that what the man had in mind, or did he just want to shag a few times to get it out of his system?

Her mind whirled and whirled with these questions, and her emotions roiled around just as fervently. She'd spent the last fifteen minutes contemplating Lucius, his thoughts, his needs, but she had yet to examine her own. Was she attracted to him? Definitely. Was that a totally stupid, insane thing to allow herself to feel? Most assuredly. But the places he'd touched, especially her lips, still burned from the encounter, begging for more.

"Ha!" she laughed as she crossed her arms and laid her head on the table. That was just her hormones talking, insisted the resistant part of her. No one's ever kissed you like that before, so that you felt it all the way down to your toes, that's all it is.

But, her heart amended, even if they had kissed her in just the same way, could anyone besides him make her feel their kisses with the same intensity? She doubted it completely.

Hermione felt a hand slide into her hair as someone sat down beside her. She didn't have to look up to know who it was. Instead, she sighed and turned her head away from him.

"I thought I'd find you in here," Lucius said with a small chuckle. "Do you remember the first time I ever saw you? You were surrounded by books even then."

Hermione sighed, then laughed in spite of herself.

"Yes, and I remember the fire in your eyes as you put me in my place," he chuckled. "I believe that may well be the first time anyone had ever done that before. Most people cowered before me back then, but not you. You had a spirit that infuriated and enticed me all at once. Of course, not until several years later did I realize just how much."

"Mm," she answered non-commitally.

"Not until the battle for the prophesy did I realize how beautiful you were," he said. "You have no idea how much it stung then, to want someone like you so much. True, I had my wife and my son, but Narcissa and I had an arranged marriage, we never truly fell in love. And Draco? Oh, I could only imagine what he would have thought if I'd admitted to my heart's desire. But now, Hermione, now there is no reason to deny it any longer."

"Yes, there is," Hermione said, still not looking at him. "You're my Professor. I don't think McGonagall would agree with you about pursuing your heart's desire with your student, do you?"

"Yes, you're probably right," he said. "But I find myself in a position that I just don't care. Certainly I can teach you about the Dark Arts, and how to defend yourself against them, but there is another Art I have to teach, and I want to teach it only to you."

"What do you mean?" she asked, starting to lean into his hand as it continued to rub in her hair, a soothing and exciting action that had her mind feeling quite addled.

"Did Weasley ever-touch you, my dear?" he inquired, his hand tensing at the thought.

Hermione's stomach tightened in response, and she was quick to respond. "Nobody has done-that. I wanted to be sure before I just, well, before-"

He chuckled again, and turned her so he could see her face. He brushed off the tears he found there, and traced lightly over her eyes, which she had squeezed tightly shut.

"Hermione, I have a great deal I could teach you," he said suggestively.

"Hmph, so I heard," she grumbled.

"Draco, I suppose?" he said with extreme certainty. "I spoke to him, by the way. He's not going to be a problem."

"So what exactly did you want to teach me?" she inquired sweetly as he kissed each eye open.

He grinned at her. "What about if I teach you all about my Dark Arts?"

"Your Dark Arts?" Hermione scoffed. "And what, pray tell, might those be?"

"Well, my dear, let's start with the Dark Art of a really good kiss," he said, and pulled her up into his lap. Hermione giggled and swatted at his hands, but then let him wrap her into his arms. She rested her hands on his chest.

"There's an art to it?" she inquired with a laugh.

"Oh, yes," he assured her. "There's a big difference between a peck on the cheek and a really good kiss. Shall I demonstrate?"

Hermione was just curious enough about this pronouncement to see if he could pull it off. So she blushed and nodded her agreement. Lucius gently brought her hands up and around his neck, then pulled her body against his own, his lips coming down on hers for a gentle peck. Then he kissed her again, a bit longer than before. Then, with the tip of his tongue, he traced a path around her bottom lip before he used it to open her mouth so he could plunder.

"Oh!" Hermione gasped when his tongue and hers touched. Of course she had heard of such a kiss, but she'd never had one before. Had she believed her body to be on fire before? She had been quite mistaken in her assessment, for now she was filled with a liquid heat that warmed her very soul as he continued to kiss her.

One of his hands slid up to trace a path along the side of her breast, making her tremble. His kiss deepened even more as that same hand traced down to her hip and cupped one of her cheeks there.

"Come on, let's get you back to your dorm," he said with a shaky breath. "It is not my intention to ravish you in the library."

The library? Oh yes, Hermione had completely forgotten where they were. It was amazing to her to think that if he'd continued, she would have so readily done anything he wanted right there where anyone might see. She really must be going mad, indeed.

Lucius stopped when they reached the portal to her dorm, and drew her close to him. "I don't think I should go in there," he said. "I doubt I could behave myself just now."

"Well, I guess I'll see you in class tomorrow?" Hermione asked softly.

"Yes, of course," he said. "But we should probably not include the rest of the world into ours just yet, don't you think?"

"I'll be good if you will," she answered.

"Damn, if that's how you're going to play this, I'm in real trouble," he teased her.

"Why is that?" she asked, grinning.

"Because it won't be easy to be good now that I've tasted your sweet lips, knowing how much I want to taste the rest."

Hermione giggled as she took both his hands in hers, removing them from her person. "Well, Professor, you're just going to have to try."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten: Detention

Hermione walked into breakfast in the Great Hall and noticed that many of her fellow students were watching her as she entered. Her face flushed as she continued on to take a seat with Draco at their table. She sighed deeply when he cast her a most unwelcoming glance.

"What's going on now?" she grumbled as she rolled her eyes.

"Nothing," he said in a snarky tone.

"Draco, what is it?" she wanted to know.

"I can't believe you would want to snog somebody as old as—well, as old as _my father!" _he said with a little shiver. "If you wanted a Malfoy snogging so much, there are better options."

"What, do you mean _you?"_ Hermione asked, imitating his shudder. "Sorry, ferret, but I'd rather snog a real man."

"What d'you mean, him?" Draco scoffed. "What's so great about him?"

"Well, just for starters, he's really smart, he likes to play chess and actually is capable of winning the match, and he really, _really _knows how to kiss good," she told him, trying not to smirk as she spoke. "Where is he, by the way?"

"I don't know," Draco said. "He hasn't come in yet."

"Hmph, neither has McGonagall," Hermione mentioned, feeling a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. What if the librarian had seen her and Lucius last night and told the Headmistress what they'd been doing? She couldn't bear it if she'd gotten Lucius into trouble.

"No, I suppose she's not," Draco said, smirking himself now. "Maybe he's snogging the old bird as well, what do you think, Hermione? Do you think he'd do it?"

Hermione's face went red at the thought. She tried not to feel jealous, but the very notion had quickened her pulses and actually made her nostrils flare. She blinked several times, but couldn't stop seeing red.

"I don't think he would," she answered with a frown. "Why are you always so down on your father, anyway?"

"Oh, like the two of you are best friends now?" he scoffed. "Oh, I forgot. You are."

So busy were the two Head Students with their discussion that neither of them has seen Lucius enter the Hall and now he stood watching them with folded arms, wondering how long before either one would take notice. Hermione saw him first, and she blushed hotly as he raised a brow at her.

"You don't think I would, huh?" he asked with a small upturning of his lips. This was as close to a smile as she expected to see in a room full of people, but the rapid beat of her heart in reaction to it flushed her face even more. Looking down, she gave her head a little shake.

Draco's eyes popped up at the sound of his voice, and his face reddened as well. His father had expressly forbidden him from another argument with Hermione Granger, most especially in a crowded room, and yet not twenty-four hours later they were at it again.

"Draco, do I need to remind you of our talk again?" he asked him.

"No, Father," Draco said.

"Good," he said, then gave Hermione a slight nod as he moved on toward the Professor's table. She cast him a slight smile before she began to eat, keeping her eyes to herself the whole time. Draco took her cue and did the same.

The day did not go much better as she headed into the hall and ran into Ron Weasley. He was walking along with Harry and Ginny, and Hermione fell into step with the group as she usually would.

"So, how's life at the Malfoy household?" Ron inquired.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione wanted to know.

"Like you don't know," said Ron, not looking at her as they walked. "I'm surprised you don't have Professor Malfoy carrying your books for you."

"Shut up, you lazy git," Hermione shouted. "At least he would carry them. You never even offered to begin with."

"Is anything wrong here?" asked Lucius as he stepped up behind the pair.

"No, nothing at all," said Hermione as she looked at her hands.

"Really?" Draco scoffed from somewhere behind him. "Because you two were just sounded like an old married couple."

"I'm going to have to give you a detention for this, Miss Granger," Lucius said.

"Me? What about him?" she gasped angrily. "He's the one who started it."

"Miss Granger, do not attempt to tell me how I do my job, or I'll have to give you another detention to go with the first," he said, his face completely straight. But as Hermione looked up at him with hurt in her eyes, she caught the tiny glint in his. Then it dawned on her—a detention meant she'd have an excuse to be alone with him with no questions asked.

Lucius knew precisely when she'd caught on, and one corner of his mouth almost lifted into a slight smile.

"Fine," she said in a haughty voice. "Then I suppose I'll see you later."

"Yes, I suppose you will, Miss Granger," he said. "Now why don't you all head to class a bit more quietly this time?"

After Lucius was gone, Ron started gloating. "Some teacher's pet you are, landing yourself detention with the very Professor everyone's on about. Do you suppose he's just trying to cover his tracks, Harry? Maybe our Know-It-All bookworm's been naughtier than we thought."

"Shut up, Ronald," Hermione scoffed.

"Yeah, what was I thinking?" he said as they reached the door to their classroom. "She probably made him mad because he wanted to snog but she wouldn't put down her book."

"Well, Ronald, I must say that Lucius has proven one thing to me beyond the shadow of a doubt," Hermione said in lofty tones.

"Yeah, and what's that?" he inquired.

"You are the most immature boy I know," she said. "Maybe you should pay better attention to him, you might learn a bit about being a real man."

"Ha! That lousy Death Eater?" he scoffed. "Not in this lifetime."

"Suit yourself," she said as she stepped past him and into the class, smug smile firmly in place.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven: Promptly at Three

"You're five minutes late, Miss Granger," said Professor Malfoy from where he sat waiting at his desk.

Closing the door firmly behind her, Hermione replied, "My last class went overlong, sir."

"Don't sir me, little girl," he said as he stood and strode over to her. "Now I'm going to have to punish you."

Hermione would have giggled if he didn't look so serious. She almost decided to dart right back out the door as her heart began to race from both fear and excitement. Not until his lips were on hers did she start to relax, but she probably shouldn't have.

Lucius picked her up and carried her over to his desk, taking a seat in his chair. Then he turned her over his knee and smacked her backside hard enough to sting.

"Ow!" Hermione protested, trying to squirm away as he smacked her a few more times. "Stop it!"

One more smack, and then he smoothed his hand over her arse instead. She'd never have believed how good it felt after the bit of roughing up. A little groan escaped her lips.

"You like that?" he asked, and his hand smoothed down her thigh to hike up her skirt so he could rub flesh instead of fabric. "I don't hear you telling me to stop anymore."

"Don't stop," she amended, but then he turned her in his lap so he could hold her body to his as he kissed her soundly. When he let her breathe again, she timidly asked, "So was that another Dark Art?"

"Oh, yes," he assured her. "You don't think I'm just going to begin with the most obvious one, do you? I have infinite patience, my dear. It may take weeks to get to that."

"Oh, damn," she grumbled.

"So you were hoping for a bit faster turn-around, I trust?" he chuckled. "No, this is supposed to be detention. We can't simply do as we'd like in here, where someone might come in. Now, be a good girl and sit at your desk. You've still got some studying to do for tomorrow's pop quiz."

"It feels like we're already having a pop quiz," she mentioned as she rubbed her bared arse against the bulge growing in his pants.

Resolutely, Lucius set her on her feet, and said, "Hm, you go over there and study, and I'll remain here with our little friend, trying to sooth his savage need."

"You want me to study while I know you're-you're touching him?" she inquired with a blush.

"I do, my dear," he said. "It will help to teach you how to concentrate even in the face of such a dire temptation."

"It feels quite tempting to me," she mentioned softly.

"Yes, I can tell," he said as he reached up and slid a hand over her erect nipple, just enough of a touch to tease her even more. Her soft moan pleased him well. "Now go over there and open your book. I want to admire the view."

Hermione blushed profusely, but she did as he instructed. It was difficult not to look over at him, especially when he let out a little groan of pleasure. Her eyes shot up to his face, and he raised a stern eyebrow.

Looking at her book again, Hermione's fingers crept up of their own accord, intent only on straightening her blouse but accidentally brushing over her breast as they went. It felt so good that she thought she'd brush again on the way back down. Lucius groaned again, and her eyes shot to his face. He was watching the hand.

Smirking, Hermione stroked a few more times, and heard another groan. This time she did not look at him, but instead encircled her breast with the hand and gently squeezed, letting out a little moan of her own.

"Vixen," he said. "That isn't on today's lesson plan."

Hermione giggled, and brought up her other hand to match the movements of the first. It made him groan again, just seeing it. She bit her bottom lip and brought up her eyes to meet his again, a light of challenge in them.

"Don't you have papers to grade, Professor?" she inquired. "You should probably be doing your work as well."

Lucius laughed, and the sound of his voice was laced with his desire, high and throaty. "If you don't be good, I'm going to have to give you some extra credit work."

"Like what?" she inquired sweetly.

"Why don't you give me a better view of those since you seem to want to share them?" he asked with a grin.

"What if somebody comes in?" she pointed out.

Lucius gave a frustrated groan. "Come here and let me touch them, then."

"No, I think I shall stay right where I am," she answered as she twirled her nipples beneath the fabric.

"Damn," he growled, and though she could not see his hand she could tell by his shoulders that his activities increased in speed. His eyes began to glaze and the frequency of his little groans increased as he got closer to his completion.

Hermione was completely hot now. It was all she could do to remain seated when she so strongly desired more. She, too, groaned, but from frustration. It would be crazy to begin to rub her own sex where she sat, and yet she finally threw caution to the winds and began to finger her mons through her skirt. Her fingers worked the fabric into her slit, and the more she rubbed the deeper into her folds the fabric went.

"Oh! Oh!" she breathed as her walls clenched. Seeing what she'd done sent Lucius over the edge as well, though he managed to be more discreet in his enjoyment.

After he sat for a moment, head thrown back and eyes closed, he leaned forward and Scourgified himself. Then he cast Hermione an amused glance. "Come and kiss me before we are expected at dinner, my sweet. I don't think I could bear to go through the entire evening without another taste of you."

Dutifully, Hermione got up and came to stand between his legs. She leaned down, biting her lip again, and then pressed her lips to his. Encircling her in his arms, Lucius deepened the kiss, his hands grasping her arse again before he finally let her go.

"Let's go eat, before I decide to devour you instead," he suggested.

"Or before I decide to devour you," she added sweetly as she moved back so she could stand.

The pair walked together to the Great Hall, making sure to keep their hands to themselves.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve: Defense

It was the following day when Hermione stepped into DADA class. Lucius was reclining in his chair behind his desk, eyes closed, as the students filed in. Looking him over, she thought perhaps he'd been drinking last night and it had yet to wear off. She wondered what had set him off so much he'd gotten drunk, but of course there was no way to ask.

One of the students slammed the door, making him sit up abruptly and grab his head as a result.

"Is everything all right, Professor?" she inquired, resisting the urge to go around the desk and offer him the comfort of her arms.

Lucius, whose eyes were both covered by his fingers, opened the middle and ring fingers over one eye to look out at her. She tried not to smile but found herself incapable of the task.

"I'm not at all well," he told her. "I think I've contracted some kind of flu that magic and medicine cannot seem to dispel. Thank you for asking, Miss Granger. Best you take your seat now, though, as it is time for class to begin."

When Hermione turned around she realized everyone else was seated, and she alone was standing in front of them with the Professor. Some of them cast knowing glances, while others seemed almost hostile. Looking down, Hermione hurried to sit down in the seat next to Draco because somebody else had taken hers.

"Now look what you did, Granger," Draco sneered near her ear. "He looks bloody well worn out. Did you shag him into a stupor or something?"

"Of course not," she hissed under her breath. "We parted company as soon as we came to dinner."

"Yes, but you spent over an hour alone with him during detention," he smirked. "Are you going to tell me you two didn't find a way to entertain yourselves?"

"We—" she began, but then Lucius got up and stood in front of the class.

"All right everyone, get together with your partners and we'll have a few duels," he announced, prompting the whispering pair to move apart and Hermione to look up at him quizzically.

"Miss Granger, I believe you know Neville Longbottom," he said in formal tones. "His partner is no longer in this class, so you'll be dueling with him."

Hermione felt a bit disappointed by the pronouncement, but still she smiled at Neville as they walked towards one of the dueling stages. "So, Neville, how are things going? I haven't seen Luna hardly at all since we got to Hogwarts. How is she?"

"Luna's just fine, Granger," he said, not quite meeting her eyes as he spoke. Then, in a much lower voice, he asked, "How are things with you and Lucius Malfoy?"

"What do you mean?" she inquired, her eyes straight ahead, looking at the platform they were headed for.

Neville laughed humorlessly. "I was just curious. You asked after my partner, it's only right I ask after yours."

"Partner?" Hermione repeated, beginning to grow irritated. "What makes you think I have a partner? Lucius may have expressed an interest, and I may or may not have reciprocated it, but I am not his 'partner', Neville."

"Well, what are you then," he persisted. They had reached the stage by then.

As she prepared to continue to the far end, she said, "I'm a student, and he's my teacher," she said firmly in his ear. When she'd gone halfway, she turned and added, "and if I were you, I'd prepare to defend myself."

Neville's face fell. He knew how much better Hermione was at dueling than he—she was, after all, much more seasoned at it than he. "Take it easy, Hermione," he said. "This is just a lesson, not a battle."

"Well, I'm declaring war on every sodden git who has been letting their imaginations run rampant about me and my Professor," she said, loud enough for everyone to hear. "It's nobody's business one way or the other."

The other students stared at this exchange, and their Professor stepped over to their stage.

"There's not going to be a problem over here, is there?" he inquired in such a way as to quell all further taunts they might have uttered.

"No, sir, of course not," Neville answered, swallowing hard as he stared straight ahead at a wall, and Hermione watched the two of them intently.

Lucius stood close to him as he stopped halfway up the two steps he'd been about to mount, and said near his ear, "Let us hope not, Mr. Longbottom. Then he turned and stalked over to Hermione and said, "Miss Granger, it seems that your previous detention was not successful in its attempt to quell your misbehavior. Perhaps another one is in order?"

"Sir?" she gasped, feigning indignation. "This is getting ridiculous. Why do you keep giving me detentions for arguments that other people keep starting?"

"Because, Miss Granger, you ought to be setting some kind of an example for the underclassmen."

"I'm supposed to meet Draco and the prefects this evening, sir," she reminded him.

"Well then, perhaps you'll have to take detention with me on Saturday," he decided. "I'll see you bright and early at ten."

"Fine," she grumbled.

"Well then, if everyone is ready, let's duel," he said, turning briskly away and getting back into his teaching mode. "I'll be grading each of you individually, and we'll make this into a competition. Winners will keep teaming up until only two are left, and we'll save their duel for Monday's class. Now go on, hop to it—and remember, this is a duel, not a battle. You're not meant to harm anyone in this class."

"Yes, sir," everyone chimed, and began dueling.

Hermione made short work of all her opponents, and by the end of class only she and Draco were left standing. The pair of them grinned at each other sadistically. Both eagerly awaited their upcoming clash.

"Remember, you two, you're not meant to kill each other," Lucius said pointedly. To the rest of the class he said, "Well, I did not expect this outcome, even though I should have done. These two did not earn their positions by slacking. It will prove to be a most interesting show. And the two of you had best remember not to get into any fights before the duel, especially with each other."

"We won't," Hermione said, casting Draco a pointed look of her own.

"You're not my mother," Draco sneered at her. "Don't try to tell me what to do."

"Oh, I'd never try to do that," she retorted. "You're not much for following directions."

"Stop it, both of you," Lucius said with a placid smile that did not reach his eyes. "Save it for the duel."

"You can count on that," Draco answered with a snide grin. "I'm going to enjoy this."

Hermione sighed and shook her head. Things were getting complicated, that was for sure.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Just in time for Christmas cheer-this should light a fire! lol

Chapter Thirteen: Is It Hot In Here?

The meeting with the prefects went off without a hitch. Draco surprised Hermione by being a perfect gentleman and a valuable asset to the discussion. Some of the topics they'd addressed were the Halloween and Christmas celebrations, and they'd set up planning committees for each. Hermione was placed in charge of the decorations, while Draco had opted to deal with the food, while the other details were left open for either of them to decide.

Tired after her long day of dueling, Hermione trudged gratefully up to her room, closed the door behind her, and sighed deeply. She'd never been more ready to get into her bed. She might even have done it right away, too, if Lucius Malfoy were not lying on it with a very sexy smirk on his handsome face.

"What are you doing?" she inquired, trying not to smirk right along with him.

"Thought you might like to get a jump on tomorrow's detention, Granger," he offered lightly as he rolled onto his back and lay on her pillow.

"How am I going to get any sleep with the smell of you all over my bed?" she inquired sweetly.

Smirk returning in full force, he replied, "I'd sleep much better with your scent upon my pillow. Perhaps we'll have to remedy that sometime."

Hermione's heart began hammering in her chest at the thought of being in his bed. What would he do if ever he found her there? Would she ever be able to lay in Lucius' bed and still retain her virginity by the time she left it? Doubtful—very doubtful.

She could feel an electric sort of heat coursing through her body as she remained against her door, watching him. If eyes could caress someone, that was exactly what his did now. Her breathing became shallow, and unbidden, she caught herself wetting her lips with her tongue.

"Aren't you going to get in your bed, my dear?" he asked, and amusement laced his words.

"That bed is awfully small," she hedged. "Are you sure two people can fit in it?"

Chuckling, he said dryly, "I've managed it before this."

"With Narcissa?" she smirked.

"Yes," he answered, his smirk growing even more. "In this very room, in fact. Does that disturb you?"

"No, it—it kind of makes it a bit hotter in here," she admitted with a blush.

"Come here, Hermione," he said in a soft, coaxing whisper.

Swallowing her fear and desire in one big gulp, Hermione forced herself away from the door and propelled herself over to the edge of the bed. Lucius made no move to touch her as she stood there and gazed down at him.

Tentatively, she sat on the edge, then paused for a moment before she grew bold enough to lay down beside him, arms at her sides, eyes on the ceiling, trembling.

Lucius rolled onto his side again, and wrapped one of her curls around his finger as he gazed at her. "You can tell me if you want me to go," he felt the need to say.

"I—I don't want you to—to go," she managed to say. When the finger released her curl she felt almost bereft until next he slid the hand into the hair at the nape of her neck and turned her face to his. Looking into his eyes, Hermione stammered, "You—you said you didn't intend to-um—well, you know—do that yet."

"Tell me what 'that' is, Hermione," he teased, his voice caressing her body like molten lava.

She could barely even breathe, let alone force an answer past her lips.

"Why is your heart beating so fast, my dear?" he wanted to know. "Do you want me to kiss you, perchance?"

"I—" she began, but then he was kissing her before she could say anything more. Hermione's body rolled into his waiting arms, and he held her fast, deepening the kiss to an excruciating degree. With every thrust of his tongue, Hermione couldn't help but wonder how the other thrusting would manage to feel better than this. If she'd ever doubted one could find heaven in the arms of a devil, all such notions were now dispelled.

His hands, which had been wrapped about her back just above her hips, each slid neatly over her torso, one down to cup her sweet arse, and the other, more languid one, eventually meandered softly over her breast, making her gasp. Again, and then again, he brushed a thumb lightly over her nipple, making it stand up for him.

The third time he did it, Hermione was no longer able to stifle her groan, which she emitted right into his mouth. He answered her with one of his own, and moved so she was on her back and he was slightly above her. He released her mouth and hovered just inches away.

"I think you may be right," he commented in a lusty whisper. "It is most definitely hot in here. Perhaps I'd better get back to my own bed."

"Someone might see you go," she said, hoping it would change his mind.

"My dear girl, you know this is my son's dorm," he pointed out with a playful grin. "I'm sure that I could come or go as I please from here without eliciting undue notice."

"Not really," she answered. "Every time they see you leave, they gossip about you having come in here just to visit me."

"I don't care what they gossip about," he told her. "They've no way to prove it."

"No, I guess not."

"Does it bother you, my dear?" he asked.

"No, but I would hate to see you get into trouble over me," she answered.

"My sweet, sweet little girl," he answered, kissing each eye in turn, then hovering just over her mouth. "If I'm going to get into trouble for something, it might as well be something that is worth the trouble."

"Me?" she whispered. "Worth the trouble?"

"Most definitely," he assured her. After one last kiss, Lucius practically tore himself away and headed for the door. "Sweet dreams, Hermione."

"You too, Professor," she said.

"That's Lucius to you, my dear," he answered with a grin, and then he was gone.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen: Altercation

When Hermione woke the next morning she found herself hugging the Lucius-scented pillow against her. She'd been having the sweetest dream that he had stayed there and held her all night, and she sighed heavily, not quite willing to let it go. She put on a robe and padded toward the bathroom, meeting Draco at the door.

"I need a bath," she said groggily. "Unlike you, however, I don't have all day to take it. I've got detention today."

"Yeah, so I heard," Draco scoffed. "Saw my father leave your bedroom last night. What did you do, give him a little piece to go?"

"I did nothing of the sort," Hermione retorted hotly. "He just wanted to wish me sweet dreams."

"Look at you," Draco said with disgust. "You're completely under his spell already. Wish I could find a way to bottle that stuff. It really must be some sort of Dark Art, getting people to fawn all over you so easily. Everyone except Mother, of course. She saw right through him."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Hermione wanted to know.

"Do you really think he's a one woman kind of a man, Granger?" he said. "He'll be off to shag someone else behind your back before you know it. You should get out while you still can."

"I refuse to listen to another word of this, Draco," Hermione huffed. "I thought your father told you to try to get on with me."

Hermione was totally unprepared when Draco shoved her against the wall and leaned in against her. "If you wanted to fuck a Malfoy, Granger, you could have told me a long time ago. We could have been shagging all these years."

"Let go of me, you prat!" she hissed.

"I don't think so," he answered, and crushed his lips to hers. It was his intention to punish rather than arouse her, she was quite certain. At first she tried to push him away, but when she realized he wouldn't budge she tried a different tactic. She relaxed instead, hoping he would let her go if she didn't offer him any sort of challenge.

"I guess you don't really care which of us is touching you, eh?" Draco taunted as he slid a hand down to yank open her robe, revealing the thigh-length nightshirt she wore underneath. Before she could even protest this action or move away, his fingers slid inside her knickers as he tried to put one inside her. When he met resistance, at first his face registered only surprise, but then realization dawned.

"Stop it!" Hermione yelped, her face going completely red. "Leave me alone!"

"You really are still a virgin, aren't you?" he gasped, releasing her and running into the wall as he moved away from her. "Oh gods, he's going to kill me! Hermione, I'm so sorry! I'm fucking sorry!"

"Lucius!" she squealed as she saw him standing just behind his son. She started to sob uncontrollably as she threw herself into his arms. Holding Hermione behind him with one hand, he used the other to haul a stumbling Draco to his feet, holding him by the front of his shirt.

"Draco, what the hell did you think you were doing?" he demanded. Hermione had never seen him look so furious before-not even when he'd been trying to kill her.

"Lucius, stop," she pleaded softly against his back. "Don't hurt him. I don't want to be the cause of problems between you and your son, either. Maybe we should just-just stop this." The very idea made her sob even harder as she thought about it. What if he were to heed her hastily spoken words? What if he didn't want her anymore now that his son had touched-well, what he'd touched?

"I have no intention whatsoever of stopping," he insisted as he let Draco go and pulled her against him instead. His hands smoothed her robe closed as his lips came down to claim hers. "Even if Lord Voldemort himself showed up here and now, I still would not have any intention to stop, Hermione. Hermione, listen to me!"

He tilted her face up so she could see his eyes. "I did not go to all the bother of searching my soul and finding you at the heart of it to simply just push you away again. I'm going to say this, right in front of my son, so that he understands it perfectly well. I intend to have you for my own, for as long as you will have me."

Hermione sobbed again, and surged up to hold him tighter than before, her tears spilling on his robes.

"Now, if you tell me that you don't want me, I might consider-"

"Shut up!" she insisted, sniffling as she looked at Draco past his shoulder. He looked so wretched she almost felt bad for him. Almost. "Look at us, aren't we a sight to see? How is this going to work?"

"Miss Granger, I always get what I want," he said. "If my son does not wish to be a part of this, he is quite welcome to go live with his mother."

Lucius turned to see Draco's response.

"No, sir, I don't want to leave," he said contritely. "I made a mistake, but it won't happen again. Hermione and I can learn to get along, I'm sure of it."

"Well, at least I know you haven't been shagging all the other Professors, my dear," Lucius commented dryly.

Blushing, Hermione asked, "Have you been talking to Slughorn, by any chance?"

"Oh, no, my dear, I just happened to overhear Flitwick bragging about how very interested you were in trying out his wick once you'd gotten tired of mine."

"Now see, we must get along, Hermione," Draco said, trying to bring some levity to the situation. "If you stop pursuing my father, you'll be stuck trying to fend off the entire staff."

After a brief chuckle, Lucius said, "Come now, both of you, I'd like to go to Hogsmeade for lunch. And mind you keep your hands to yourself. I wouldn't want them to think our dear Hermione was actually doing us both."

"Oh!" she gasped in disgust, and moved away from the both of them. "I've got half a mind to send you two to lunch without me."

"But my dear," Lucius reminded her. "You've got detention with me. You've got to do whatever I say."

"Fine," she said, stepping into her room. "Just let me get dressed, and then I'm all yours."

"Mm, that sounds lovely," he said. "Draco, I do believe the view will be a bit better from in there-"

"Oh no you don't," Hermione scolded. "You can both go wait in the common area, where you belong."

Both of them chuckled as she slammed shut her door, gave each other an uncertain glance, and then proceeded to walk together down the stairs.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen: Hogsmeade

"I've never been in here before," Hermione commented as they stepped into a fancy restaurant at the heart of Hogsmeade. "I'm not underdressed, right?"

Draco chuckled as his father pulled a face behind her, making her turn to see what they were doing. She caught Lucius just as he stopped grinning, and cast him a quelling glance.

"You do that very well, my dear," Lucius chuckled dryly.

"What's so funny, then?" she wanted to know.

"What you're wearing will do fine, Hermione," he told her, bringing a hand up to lightly stroke her back. In her ear, he added, "For now."

Hermione felt a fit of tingles rip through her when she heard that. Damn the man, how did he know just what to say or do to make her body come alive at the slightest provocation? Draco must have been wondering the same thing, for he looked down at his shoes as if they were the only thing in the room, and when he saw her watching him he actually blushed slightly as well, suddenly finding the windows to be of great interest.

"We have a reservation," Lucius told the waitress, and she nodded.

"Right this way, Mister Malfoy," she said with a friendly smile. The trio followed behind her, and when they arrived at the table Lucius solicitously held Hermione's chair for her. Hermione blushed slightly as he slowly scooted her forward, his forearms just grazing her shoulders, and then slightly rubbing before he let go. The touch had her melting into her seat.

"Damn it, would you two like me to leave?" Draco wanted to know.

"Of course not, Draco," Lucius said as he took his own seat at the head of the table, with the two of them seated to either side of him. "I've taken the liberty of ordering the meal already. But if you would like, Hermione, I shall let you select the wine."

"Me?" she asked meekly. "I've never done it before. I'd hate to get it wrong."

"All this hating to do things, my dear," he chuckled. "Where is the courageous young woman I have come to admire?"

"All right," she said, straightening her shoulders. "I'll do it."

"That's better," he said with a smirk, handing her a list out of thin air.

Hermione didn't know much about wine, but the list described the different flavors to be expected, and based on that information she settled on a rich, flavorful merlot sauvignon. Lucius nodded his approval and informed the waitress of their decision.

"Did I do well?" she asked hopefully.

"We shall see," Lucius said with a smile.

"Professor Malfoy?" said a surprised voice, and then Headmistress McGonagall stepped over to their table. "I did not expect to see you here, and with our Head Boy and Girl, no less. I was told Miss Granger has a detention with you today?"

"Yes, and so she does," he agreed with an enigmatic smile. "But one cannot study on an empty stomach, is that not right, Miss Granger?"

"Quite," Hermione agreed contritely. She wondered what McGonagall would think of him bringing her to lunch along with his son. She could only be thankful that Draco had come along as well, or who knew what she would have thought then.

"Miss Granger, it's been a while since you and I have had a talk," she commented dryly. "Perhaps you might stop by my office sometime before classes on Monday?"

"Yes, of course, Headmistress," Hermione agreed quickly. "I'll try to see you tomorrow, if you're available?"

"That will do, Miss Granger," she agreed, then looked shrewdly over at Lucius again. "Good day, Professor."

"Good day, Headmistress," said Lucius with a practiced smile. The older woman returned to her own table, which was most inconveniently situated nearby.

"I wonder what she wants," said Hermione as she bit her bottom lip.

"My dear, please stop doing that," Lucius said in a low, sultry voice. "You've no idea how tempting you look."

"Aren't you wondering what she's going to say?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"Not in the slightest," he said. "Ah, here is the food. Now we shall see how well your wine will go with it. It's a combination I've not yet tried, to tell the truth."

Hermione blushed slightly as a wine-butler brought in the bottle on a tray of ice, and poured each of them a glass, while another waiter dished out their food for them. When she sipped the wine, Hermione sighed contentedly.

"It's good," she said, rolling the liquid over her tongue.

"Well then, my dear, how does it taste with your duck?" Lucius asked, and Hermione dutifully took a bite.

"Heavenly," she answered around the mouthful of food. The look on Lucius' face as he watched this was so carnal as to make her blush even more.

"I do so enjoy watching a beautiful woman enjoy tasting things," he said with a slight smirk.

"Do you?" she inquired sweetly, and it was obvious that neither of them were talking about food.

"Get a room," Draco commented wryly as he tore into his meal, shaking his head as he ate.

"Already have one," Lucius said dryly.

Hermione's brow shot up in surprise. They ate the rest of their meal silently, but it was obvious to anyone who might be watching the two that Lucius and Hermione's minds were hardly on the food. After her last bite, Lucius reached solicitously for her napkin and wiped at the edge of Hermione's mouth. He may as well have put his tongue right down her throat for all the subtlety present in his touch.

"Mm," Hermione sighed, trying not to moan outright. "That was excellent. Thank you, Lucius."

"Draco, be a good lad and go do the rounds this evening, will you?" Lucius inquired, still looking at Hermione.

"I might as well," he said. "I can tell when I'm going to be in the way."

"Good lad," Lucius chuckled as he stood and offered Hermione his hand. She trembled slightly as she took it. She couldn't help but wonder if tonight was the night that Lucius was finally going to get around to showing her the darkest art of all.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen: Is It Dark in Here?

The sun was setting as Lucius and Hermione took a leisurely stroll together back to Hogwarts. The temptation to touch one another was so extreme that the pair veered off the beaten path and into the trees along the side of the road.

Hermione giggled when Lucius backed her against a tree and proceeded to ravish her willing mouth with his questing tongue. Her heart sped up at the thought that someone—anyone—might happen upon them there, but Lucius didn't look as though he cared one jot.

"Lucius," she whispered into his mouth. "We should go, it's getting dark in here."

"Mmm, just how I like it," he chuckled. "What better place for some Dark Arts than a place lacking in light?"

"You are _not _making my first time be in the woods," Hermione admonished him as she tried unsuccessfully to push him away from her.

"Oh, no, my dear, I'd never dream of it," he said as his lips sought her pulse at the base of her neck. "Hmm, I think you like the little bit of danger, don't you, Hermione? You're actually hoping to get caught."

"Of course I'm not," she answered, but her voice was far too husky to make the denial sound the least bit believable.

Lucius kept her pressed to the tree as he began using his teeth to work open two or three of her buttons. Hermione groaned in frustration each time he succeeded, but she couldn't gather the conviction to try to push him away again. How could she possibly? she defended herself, when a completely gorgeous, sexy and dangerous man was doing such interesting things to her? She felt dampness between her legs, and rebelliously wanted him to fuck her right there against that tree, and be damned with propriety. Of course, she didn't admit that to him!

"It's fun to take a chance sometimes, isn't it my dear?" he teased her as he nuzzled his way inside her blouse. Using his teeth, he moved her bra out of the way and began tantalizing her nipple to life with his lips and tongue.

"Lucius!" she gasped as she held his head to her with one hand at the same time she opened her eyes wide and looked about to make sure no one was looking. "Have you gone insane? How do we know McGonagall isn't still about somewhere?"

"Wouldn't that be an interesting predicament," he chuckled dryly, and then proceeded to use his teeth to uncover the other nipple and taste it as well.

"Oh!" Hermione gasped, her other hand joining the first. She sifted his heavenly-soft hair through her fingers, and sucked in a sharp breath when he released her nipple with a slight popping sound and proceeded to get onto his knees in front of her, still pinning her to the tree with one of his hands while exploring her body with the other.

He buried his face into her midsection, pushing her shirt up slowly with one hand and tasting her exposed flesh as he went. Her hands began to tremble in his hair. Her eyes closed from sheer bliss and desire. His fingers slid their way down to the hem of her skirts, and he proceeded to slide it up along her backside, then rolled the front half up and out of the way as well.

Slowly, only moving whenever she gasped, Lucius kissed and licked his way downward. He paused briefly to reangle his legs so he was sitting on them, one hand supporting a weak-kneed Hermione while the other hand discovered her knickers and pulled them down with extreme speed, in sharp contrast to his prior movements, making her heart thud even more.

"Oh, sweet Merlin!" Hermione breathed when his finger discovered her sweet slit and began to play. He got it wet with her juices and spread the moisture upward, and then his mouth was on her, licking and sucking on her already painfully swollen clit. Hermione's hands grasped ahold of his hair, no longer just playing with it, more like possessing it irrevocably.

"Mm, so good," Lucius whispered before delving his tongue into her deeper.

Hermione's hips bucked, making her lose her footing. Lucius wrapped his arms around her arse, effectively holding her up and making it harder for her to buck again all at the same time. She started keening softly in sheer bliss, her fingers clutching at his hair, and then she sobbed out in absolute pleasure, making him work even harder.

"There it is," he whispered urgently as she let him go and covered her mouth with her hands as she tried to be at least a little quiet, but with little success. "Yes, oh Lucius, yes! Yes!"

When she was finally calm again, Lucius got to his feet again and helped her right her clothes with the flick of his wand. "Sweetest girl," he whispered as he nuzzled into her hair. If he didn't have his arms around her, holding her to him, she doubted she would even be able to stand.

"Is it dark in here, or is it just me?" Hermione inquired with a cheeky giggle.

"What's that?" Lucius asked, smiling.

"Nothing, it's a Muggle joke," she answered with a smile.

"Ah," he nodded, and then kissed her on the nose. "We'd best get you back to the castle, my dear, or I just might ravish you after all."

"Well, you could always ravish me there," she suggested hopefully.

"Not yet, my sweet," he answered. "But I do intend to give you a thorough work-out trying to win a round of Wizard's chess."

"What's the prize if I win?" she asked sweetly as they started to walk.

"Maybe I would taste you again," he offered with a cheeky grin, bumping into her shoulder with his arm since they were trying not to look like a pair of lovers as they walked, but rather as a Professor and his student who just happened to be going the same way.

They caught up with Neville and a few other boys and greeted them cheerfully, but they did not join the group, preferring to continue on ahead of them.

"Who do they think they're fooling?" Neville commented dryly to one of his friends.

Hermione grimaced, and glanced up at Lucius. He looked like he was ready to say something, but was refraining for her sake. He cast her a little smile and by mutual consent, they sped up enough to leave the others behind.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen: Leisurely Evening

"Are you letting me win, sir?" Hermione accused Lucius as she took his king for the third time.

"I assure you, my dear, I am not," he answered with a slight smile. "I just seem to be—distracted this evening, I suppose."

Now it was Hermione's turn to smirk. "But I thought you said you were going to give me a thorough work-out," she replied in innocent tones.

Lucius closed his eyes and took a deep breath at that, and Hermione could tell he was doing his level best to keep his hands to himself. But, since she didn't really want him to in the first place, she had no intention of being merciful. When he opened his eyes, she cast what she hoped was a very sultry look and crawled right over the chessboard to stand between his legs, placing her hands on his cheeks as she drew his lips up to hers.

"You do enjoy modifying my curriculum, don't you?" he inquired in a velvety soft whisper as he pulled her into his lap.

"Maybe," she said.

That was the last real conversation they had for a while as the pair explored each other's lips and tongues thoroughly. Hermione couldn't help but wiggle her bum against his hardness just to add salt to his growing wound.

"Vixen," he whispered. "Let's take this upstairs, shall we? I wouldn't want Draco to walk in on our little snogging session."

Hermione stood, prepared to walk with him up the stairs, but Lucius didn't give her the chance. He lifted her into his arms and in three steps they were at the top, and just as quickly he flicked the door open with his wand, stepped inside, and kicked it shut behind him.

Now Hermione lay in the middle of her bed with Lucius on top of her. She wrapped her legs around his still-clothed torso and rubbed against his hardened need with aching persistence. The more she rubbed, the deeper their kisses became, and soon neither could avoid making the occasional sound in response to their growing passion.

"Gods, woman, you're driving me insane," he growled as he tried to move away. Whimpering, Hermione brought him back into her arms and tightened the hold her legs had on his hips. Until that point they'd been playing at things, and the pace had been rather leisurely, but now an urgency began to spread through Hermione's limbs. She wanted to drive him insane, she wanted to make him forget his well-laid plans. She wanted to hear him crying out the way he'd made her cry out earlier.

It dawned on her that she could easily do so if she repaid him in kind, of course, but she wasn't sure she was quite ready to rip his pants open and snack on him in the same manner. She'd never even seen a man naked, at least not one who was thoroughly aroused due to something she'd been doing, she qualified. Walking in on Harry in Ron's bathroom once didn't count at all.

But even as she had these thoughts, her hand slid down of its own accord to touch him, making Lucius gasp. He moved slightly to the side to give her better access as she continued to stroke him lightly with two fingers. She whimpered into his mouth again when his hands slid up under her shirt, seeking out the elastic of her bra.

In one deft motion, he had her bra pulled up out of the way and a pert nipple in his mouth, suckling hungrily. Hermione groaned, and her free hand flew up into his hair as the other continued to stroke. She took her cue from his tongue how fast he wanted her to go, and then she curled her fingers more fully around him while she was at it.

"Oh!" he groaned hotly as he moved to taste the other nipple. "You're going to make me soil myself again, sweetheart."

"Unless you take it out," she answered boldly, then blushed as soon as she'd said it.

"And what did you intend to do with it if I did?" he smirked as he looked up at her. She blushed even more. "Did you want to learn another art, my dear?"

"Maybe," she answered coyly, her eyes locking with his.

Lucius sat up and undid his pants, laid on his back as he continued to watch her face, and chuckled when her eyes fixed upon his questing hand as he pulled out the object of her desire. She looked him over curiously, and determined that his manhood must be far superior to Harry's, based on what she'd seen of the two.

"You look like you're ready to eat me alive, Hermione," Lucius teased her.

Giggling a bit nervously, she sat forward and took his cock into her hand, stroking as she had before but with the added benefit of not having his clothes in the way. Tentatively, she scooted down the bed and laid her head in his lap, gazing at him for a few moments before gathering up the nerve to touch the head with the tip of her tongue.

Lucius remained still so as to avoid frightening her. When she put her mouth around him, his hand snaked into her glorious mane of curls and his eyes closed as he hissed with pleasure. The more she experimented, the more he lost control. It started as little grunts here and there, but then she cupped his balls in one hand and moved her hand and mouth together along the shaft, and the little grunts ended up being pleasurable groans.

"Hermione!" he hissed, his fingers gripping gently at her hair as he wrapped the strands around his hands, desperately trying not to grab hold and buck against her. And then that was exactly what he was doing, bucking up into her mouth and groaning with a delighted frenzy. "Sweetest girl, oh, he's going to come, darling. Oh, yes!"

Hermione backed away as the first spurt hit her tongue, and the rest spurted onto her face and neck as he let her go and covered his face, trying to be less vocal but failing miserably. Wiping away the whitish liquid, Hermione smiled and crawled up to curl herself into his waiting arms.

"I wasn't even sure you'd let that be on the lesson plan," he mentioned with a chuckle. Burying her face into his chest, Hermione chuckled along with him. Then the pair of them laid there together in companionable silence, just enjoying the aftermath.

"Don't go," Hermione pleaded when Lucius moved as if to vacate their warm coze. He laid back again and pulled her closer than ever, and they drifted off to sleep.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen: Ultra Hot With a Side of Darkness

Hermione's eyes popped open. The pink light of dawn spilled through the window, making her wince for a moment before she realized what had awakened her in the first place. Lucius was still in her bed, curled against her back.

And his cock was as hard as a rock!

She wasn't sure if she should move away, or snuggle even closer, but the decision was taken from her when he started to feather kisses along the back of her neck and shoulders, moving her hair aside as he went. His other arm pulled her against his need, creating one in her of equal intensity.

"Yes, sweetheart, do that again," he pleaded when she wiggled slightly, making her cheeks rub against him in a most enticing manner. She did as he asked, and he groaned as both his hands came up to play with her hardened nipples.

"Dark Arts at dawn, Professor?" she inquired like a cat purring with contentment. "I don't suppose that was on the ledger either?"

"It has some definite potential to be," he answered huskily as he kept moving against her.

"Gods, if you're not going to use that thing right, I wish you'd stop teasing me with it," she finally told him.

Lucius chuckled. "Do you want me to use it right, my dear?"

"Mm, please do," she said, as close to pleading with him as was possible without getting onto her kneed first.

"If you insist," he said as he turned her onto her back and moved his cock against the front of her instead of the back.

"Lucius, please!" she gasped. "You're making me so hot!"

"I want you hot, sweetheart," he told her as he leaned in to plunder her mouth with his tongue. "Just as hot as I am already."

Hermione's voice failed her. She could hardly seem to catch her breath. His hand roamed over her body, and somehow their clothes were suddenly missing. She saw them sitting on her chair, and figured out that he must have done it wandlessly. That was about all the more thinking she was able to do as fire burned through her veins, heating her to fever pitch.

"Gods, I want—I need you to teach me that damned darkest art," she managed to tell him.

"Which one, my dear?" he asked with a chuckle.

"There's more than one?" she clarified.

"Well, more ways than one at any rate," he answered.

"Mm, how about all of them?" she challenged with a smirk.

"Gods, woman, you're making me hot," he mentioned.

"How hot?" she queried.

"Ultra hot," he supplied.

"I'll have mine ultra hot with a side of darkness, please," she chuckled.

"Oh, you will?" he asked with a smirk. "I suppose I'll have to serve that right up." Hermione stopped giggling when his hand slid down between her thighs, and then he said, "And there's no waiting for the table, ma'am. It'll be ready in two shakes of a lamb's tail."

"Oh!" she gasped as he slid a finger inside her.

"Mm, nice to know you're not going to make me wait, either," he said as he moved above her and managed to get halfway inside her before a slight snag was met, but quickly bypassed. "Sweet, sweet, sweetest girl," he gasped as he paused for her reaction.

It was not the one he expected. Instead of any show of maidenliness, she bucked up against him and moaned with pleasure. Never one to pass up on a good opportunity when it was presented to him, Lucius Malfoy proceeded to give Hermione Granger the ultra hot fucking she'd ordered, complete with dirty, very explicit commentary on just how good it felt to finally be inside the hottest witch of her age.

"As good as being fucked by the sexiest ex-Death Eater in existence?" she inquired.

"I'll show you what dark is, Hermione," he gasped out, pumping even harder. "Do you feel that? Do you feel how dark that thing really is?"

"It's not dark, Professor," she teased him. "It's ultra hot."

Laughing, Lucius bit into her neck and gasped, "No, now it's ultra hot," as he came with more force than he'd done in years. He felt her sheath tighten around him as she, too, reached her peak, moaning hotly into his hair and clinging to him as he finally shuddered to a stop.

"Well, that was the first way," she said after a brief respite. "Now, how about another?"

"I think you're the darkest pupil I've ever taught," he commented with a smile. It was well into the morning before they finally came up for air again.

#

"I don't want to leave, but I did promise," Hermione grumbled as she tried for the fifth time to extricate herself from Lucius' arms. She was already wearing her clothes, which he was attempting to circumnavigate as she was unsuccessful in her escape.

"But it's barely even noon," he complained. "I don't want to let you go yet, not when I've longed for this very moment for so long."

"What moment, Lucius?" she laughed. "The one an hour ago, or the one after it, or just now when you dragged me back onto the bed when you know the Headmistress might come looking for me if I keep her waiting too long?"

"Oh, very well," he said with a sigh of defeat. "I suppose I should probably go back to my cold, lonely bed while you two discuss me in great detail."

"I'm not going to tell her any details, are you serious?" Hermione gasped in surprise. "What, am I supposed to go in there and say I took so long because I was shagging the Dark Arts Professor massively in hopes of some extra credit?"

"Ah, now we see what motivates you, my girl," he chuckled as he pulled his pants on. "I shall have to give serious thought to your grade, you know. You're not likely to get top marks if you don't kiss me good-bye before you go."

"Ha! You've tried that one already, Malfoy," she pointed out. "I'm going to leave right n—"

His lips found hers before she could finish, and then he left her standing against the door holding onto her heart. Draco was watching from his door, but he just smirked knowingly and went into his own room again, closing the door behind him.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen: Harsh Opinion

Hermione was not at all sure what to expect as she entered the golden room Minerva McGonagall had inherited from her predecessors. The Headmistress was sitting at her desk, and the look on her face seemed harsher than usual.

"You wanted to see me, Headmistress?" said Hermione as she walked up to the chair that waited for her. "And I see you were ready for me as well."

Minerva laughed, but there was no real humor in it. "Yes, Miss Granger, I did," she answered as she stared at her over the rim of her spectacles. "I will come right to the point. You and Professor Malfoy must cease in your shameful activities, or there will be dire consequences. And do not pretend you do not know what I'm talking about."

"But-" Hermione began.

"No, let me finish," she cut her off. "Hermione, I have known you for several years, and I have even become fond of you in that time. And, now that your parents are unavailable to you, I feel I must take their place."

"I appreciate that, ma'am, I really do, but I don't feel like Lucius and I have behaved shamefully at all," Hermione protested, her cheeks growing red from anger. "Most of the so-called behavior you are referring to was made up by the other students. I am an adult now, and I have behaved in a manner that reflects that."

"Hermione please, how do you expect me to believe that when I happen to know the two of you were snogging in the woods yesterday after lunch?"

"You know about that?" she gasped in embarrassment.

"Unfortunately, my dear, I saw you with my own eyes," she said, not able to meet her eyes as she revealed this. "And while I could see that the man most certainly knows what he's doing, I have to wonder if you have given any thought to what you, yourself, are doing to allow it? It was not so long ago you hated Lucius Malfoy with a passion, and now you're going to tell me that you've had a complete change of heart?"

"Headmistress, Lucius is not the man I believed him to be," Hermione answered levelly, trying to hold her temper in check. "He is kind, and charming, and intelligent, and the only thing I ever disliked about him was his unwarranted dislike of me. You yourself gave him a job, you must have believed he has changed, too, if only just a little."

"I gave him his job to give him a chance to prove he does not belong in Azkaban," she said dryly. "I felt, and still do, that he was a victim of his own upbringing, and that he helped the Dark Lord more out of loyalty to his father and his misconceptions than because there was any true evil within him. But now he has been trying to seduce young girls as repayment for my efforts—"

"What do you mean, girls?" Hermione asked, her jealousy plainly written on her face.

Minerva sighed. "Fine, a young girl then. An exemplary student who should be concentrating on her final year and where she wants to go after graduation. And, when you have graduated and left this school, how do I know he won't just choose another girl after you? I have serious misgivings about whether or not I should even let him remain here at all."

"He's not seducing me just for the sake of convenience," Hermione assured her.

"Then he's made promises to you, Miss Granger?" she scoffed. "Offered to advance your career? Offered to take care of you, maybe even professed to love you?"

"Not—not exactly, but he may as well have done," she answered, blushing uncomfortably under the woman's scrutiny.

"May as well have and actually doing so are two completely different things," Minerva pointed out. "And even if he did, how do you know he means it? How do you know he isn't just after you because it is the quickest way to prove he doesn't hate Mudbloods anymore?"

"No, I don't think that's it," Hermione insisted. "He may not have offered to take care of me or anything, but he's made his feelings apparent."

"Hermione, don't be a silly goose," Minerva responded with a shake of her head. "Depending on any man to take care of you completely is a mistake. What happens if you become dependent upon him, and then he up and leaves, or dumps you all of the sudden and leaves you to pick up the pieces."

"And your solution is what? To never take a chance at all?" Hermione demanded irritably. "To spend your entire life alone rather than ever share it at all? I cannot abide the thought. And as to your question about my thoughts on the future, the answer is a resounding yes, I have thought about it. And what I came up with was that I could very well graduate with top marks and get hired at the Ministry and yes, even rise through the ranks to the top—but if I did it all alone, how could I possibly be happy in that choice? What fulfillment could there be with no man to come home to and tell about it?"

"Miss Granger!" she gasped, her own face turning red now.

"I will, of course, endeavor to be more discreet, Headmistress," Hermione said. "But I beg you, do not blame Lucius out of turn, for he has been a perfect gentleman, and you need not fear for the safety of other young women. I'm quite certain you can trust him where they are concerned."

"Very well, then, Miss Granger," she said as she sprang to her feet and began to pace. "I will give this thing some time, see where it goes. But I hope, for your sake and for his, that you are correct. Good day, Miss Granger."

"Yes, Headmistress," she answered. "And thank you for understanding."

"Understanding, Hermione?" she scoffed. "You mistake me. I do not understand at all."

Hermione smiled then, and answered, "I understand, I understand that I'm confused, and excited, and frustrated, and—and excited, like I've never been before. Like all this time I've merely been playing at life, and now I'm standing at the precipice, ready to dive in."

"Hm," she grunted. "I just hope you're not jumping into shallow water."

"Good day, Headmistress," said Hermione with a chuckle, and she left her standing there.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty: Contemplation

Hermione lay on her bed with a copy of _Hogwarts: a History_ lying on her stomach. She believed she must have read the same sentence over a million times, and she still had no idea what it had said. Her mind was fully and completely focused somewhere else.

Had she been unnecessarily cruel to Professor McGonagall when she'd said a life centered around a career but lacking love was not to be desired? After all, the older woman had not been with a man in years, as far as she knew. There had been rumors about her and Dumbledore, of course, but that was laughable, wasn't it?

Either way, she remained unmarried, and there were no signs at all of her favoring the idea. And besides, even if Dumbledore had been a candidate or a lover of hers, he wasn't here anymore, so that fresh wound surely would not need salting. She wondered if perhaps she should apologize, but decided that would only make matters worse

By the time Lucius entered her bedroom Hermione had fallen asleep in just that position, and he stood watching her for a while before he approached the bed. She was absolutely beautiful; there could be no doubt of it.

Hermione's eyes fluttered open, and when she saw her visitor she sat up to put the book aside, then scooted over so he had room to lay down beside her. Lucius chuckled and laid on the smallish bed, hoping its creaking as he got in was not an omen that the thing would finally break. He snickered as he remembered how much extra stress they'd put on it over the past day.

He had every intention of doing it again.

"So, my lovely, what did the old harridan have to say?" he inquired as he wrapped her in his arms.

Hermione sighed with relief as she lay her head on his chest, kissing it a few times before she answered. "She thinks I'm nothing to you but a convenience, and a means to show off the fact that you have been completely reformed. And, she saw us in the woods. I am totally mortified about that, by the way."

"Sweetheart, don't you listen to a word of it," he answered as he kissed the top of her head. "If I could do it, I would climb up the astronomy tower and shout for joy, telling all the world how much I love you. How happy I am that you are willing to learn my Dark Arts. In fact, I'm so happy about it, I'd like to show you some more."

Hermione giggled when she said, "You're trying to sneak in the 'I love you' thing in the middle of another sentence just in case I'm not willing to return the words, aren't you Mr. Professor? Well, it didn't work, because I'm going to say it anyway. I love you too. So let the firing squad shoot as it may, but I'll be damned if anyone is going to tell me it's wrong."

"Gods, you are beautiful when you're adamant," Lucius told her with an admiring smile. "Now let's see if there's anything else that would put so much sparkle in your eyes."

Hermione giggled again, and Lucius laughed as he ran his fingers down her side, then lightly tickled one of her butt cheeks, making her quiver as she tried to suppress her laughter.

"I found your tickle spot," he chuckled when she began to thrash as his hand slid down to her inner thigh, tickling there.

"Gods, you are so evil!" she said as she squirmed and laughed and slapped his hand. She pulled on his arm in a feeble attempt to make him stop. Suddenly he waved his hand, and they were both completely naked. "See what I mean?" she added with a raised brow.

"If I'm to be evil, I'd best do a good job of it," he told her wickedly. "Now roll onto your stomach."

Hermione cast him a suspicious look.

"Go on, do it," he said, his face revealing nothing of his thoughts.

Hermione reluctantly complied, laying tensely under his gaze. For a moment or two he did not move, except for his eyes which seemed to be drinking in every inch of her. Hermione bit her lip as he moved over her body and roughly pulled her thighs apart. He rubbed his fingers in her slit, making her moan.

She felt his legs between her open thighs, felt him rubbing his cock along her slit as he'd done with his fingers, and Hermione moaned again.

"You've been thinking about me all day, haven't you my dear?" he inquired as he continued to tantalize her with the tip of his cock.

"Y-yes!" she managed to stammer.

"You want me to fuck you, don't you Hermione?"

"Oh yes, please!" she gasped. His hands were holding hers as he braced himself above her using his elbows. His cock was teasing her at the entrance to her core, and Hermione couldn't wait any longer. She thrust backwards, capturing the thing she so desperately wanted at the moment.

Lucius groaned with delight, but still he pulled out again, continuing to tease her.

"What are you doing?" she wanted to know.

"Making you hotter," he said as he moved into her just a little and pulled out. Again and again he did this, in a little further each time, until finally he was inside her completely. Hermione bucked her hips beneath him, urging him to fuck her as he'd suggested.

"Gods, you are so sweet," he whispered near her ear as he moved forward and then back again, rocking inside of her. He kept doing that, rocking and thrusting and kissing her on her back, and then, still holding her wrists, he sat back and thrust harder.

"Yes, Lucius, oh yes! I'm coming! I'm coming!"

Lucius groaned again and again until the pitch of his voice seemed an octave or so higher. With a few more excruciatingly sensual thrusts, he joined Hermione in her well-voiced bliss.

He fell onto her back, wrapping his arms around her as he moved to the side, taking her with him. With a loud creak, the bed suddenly snapped, tumbling them both to the floor. Hermione landed on his ribs, making Lucius yelp with pain.

Draco could be heard running down the hall. Knocking on the door, he shouted, "What was that? Hermione, are you okay? Shall I come in and help you?"

"Unless you want to see your father's very fine arse, I wouldn't do that if I were you," she called back. "We've broken my bed, it seems."

"Great, how are you going to explain that one?" he replied, his voice carrying as he headed back to his own room and shut the door.

Lucius and Hermione looked at each other, looked at the bed, and then both started to laugh hysterically. How were they going to explain it, indeed?


	21. Chapter 21

His Dark Arts RedShadow43

Chapter Twenty-One: Yet Another Duel

Lucius tried several different spells to repair the bed, but to no avail. Perplexed and a bit put out, he brought Hermione downstairs and they lit a fire in the hearth and laid about together on the shag carpet reading one of Hermione's books together since she was behind on her homework to an abominable degree.

"I suppose we're going to have to let Minerva know about the bloody bed," he grumbled. "There appears to be some sort of a hex on it."

"Who would hex a bed?" Hermione scoffed.

"I'm certain there must be some reason," he said as he smoothed a hand down her spine, making her whole body tingle at the touch. "Hogwarts has always been full of secrets. This surely must be another of them."

"I need to get some sleep," said Hermione with a yawn.

"Of course you do," he agreed, and helped her to her feet. "Here, let me tuck you in on the sofa, and then I shall leave you to your slumber. And don't forget, my dear, you and Draco have a duel tomorrow."

"Oh, gargoyles, I forgot all about that," she grumbled as he wrapped a blanket around her and planted a kiss on her nose. "Oh well, trouncing him should be easy enough."

"Indeed?" Lucius inquired. "Don't forget, he learned much of what he knows from the master."

"What, you mean Voldemort bothered to train him?" Hermione teased.

"Imp," he growled as he kissed her lips this time. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night," she whispered as she watched him go.

#

"Hermione?" said Draco as he shook her arm. "What are you sleeping down here for?"

She cracked open his eyes. He was dressed for the day and had his book bag slung over his shoulder. Groaning, she sat up. "Don't tell me it's morning already?"

"It's almost time for classes," he said. "We've overslept."

"I am not dueling on an empty stomach," she grumbled as she padded back up the stairs and into her bedroom so she could more easily magic on her clothes and head for the bathroom.

As she came out, Draco glanced in at her broken bed and shook his head. "What were you doing, killing the poor man?" he asked. "He's too old to be breaking beds anymore."

"He certainly didn't seem like it at the time," she smirked as she shut the bathroom door in his face.

"Bloody hell," she heard him say from outside the door. "I did not want to know that."

Hermione exited the bathroom again chuckling all the way. "I'll race you to breakfast," she called as she ran down the stairs and headed for the dorm's exit.

"You're on," he laughed, running along behind her.

After a thoroughly satisfying meal, the two showed up late to potions class. Slughorn cast the pair a horrified look that clearly showed what he was wondering: _has Granger tired of the father and moved on to the son?_

"As I have already told the rest of the students, testing for the special seventh years is under way, so you are to sit quietly and read the next lesson. It's on page eighty-four," he said as they took their seats. "And do try to arrive on time from now on, both of you. What kind of an example is it for the two Heads of class to arrive late, anyway?"

"Sorry, Professor," said Hermione. "It won't happen again."

"Well, perhaps the loss of ten points from each of your houses might reinforce your words?"

"Yes, sir," Draco answered, setting a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Come on, Hermione, let's sit down."

The rest of the class snickered as they took their seats. Class went by fairly quickly after that, and then it was time for DADA. The pair walked companionably up the hallway as they headed for class, and several other students followed behind, still laughing behind their hands and gossiping.

"We're going to have to make sure they understand we are not madly in love, Granger," said Draco as he glanced over his shoulder. "I wouldn't want my father getting the wrong idea and hexing me but good."

"Especially after that little stunt you pulled," Hermione reminded him, her voice filled with the beginnings of a threat as she smirked up at him.

"Oh, now, you're not going to bring that into this, are you?" he asked worriedly.

"It seems like a good time to remind you," she taunted gently, and Draco's face turned a deep red as a mixture of different emotions assailed him.

"You're truly evil, Granger," he said. "I think the old man is rubbing off on you."

"Well, that's not surprising with all the rubbing we did over the weekend," she chuckled with a slight leer in her eyes, remembering.

"Yeah, he's got you completely twisted," Draco smirked. "Perhaps I will wipe that smile off your face just for the fun of it."

"Or make it even bigger when I have you hanging from the rafters," she commented, and then she darted ahead of him into the room, and smiled at Lucius as she went to take her seat.

"Ah, the fated pair have arrived at last," Lucius said amiably. "Up, up, you may as well take your places. Class is about to begin."

Lucius solicitously took Hermione's hand and led her to the dueling stage, and even went so far as to bend and kiss it as he let her go and she mounted the steps. Draco cast the two of them a stony glare.

"Hey, where's Draco's kiss?" Neville wanted to know.

Lucius stepped over an patted his son's shoulder, then bent and whispered into his ear, "Hurt her, and there'll be some real trouble."

"Don't worry, Father," he said. "This duel is for class—no killing allowed."

Lucius cast him a dangerous smile as he stepped off. "You may begin. Step forward, bow, and count your fifteen paces."

Once they'd reached their destination, Draco fired off a curse just as he took his last step, giving Hermione no time to get into her stance. Even though she was surprised, she was able to deflect the Stupefy right back at him, leaving him frozen by his own spell. He didn't appear to be able to shake it off, leaving her the immediate victor.

"Well, that was somewhat—anti-climactic," she commented to Lucius as he helped her down again on his way to retrieve his son.

"Quite," he agreed in passing. Everyone else in the class applauded as Hermione returned to her seat. All she could do was blush and shake her head, which she laid on the desk on top of her arms as Lucius called Neville Longbottom.

"Take Draco to the infirmary, there's a good lad," he said. "I'm sure you know the way."

3


	22. Chapter 22

His Dark Arts RedShadow43

Chapter Twenty-Two: Broken Bed

"Hermione, wait," said Lucius as the rest of the class filed out. Her grasped her by the elbow and kept her with him until all the other students were gone. Then he shut the door and locked it before turning back to her.

"What's this all about?" she asked with some amusement as he swept her into his arms.

"I think we should go over to the hospital wing and make sure Draco's still alive," he said with some amusement.

"I'm probably the last person he wants to see just now," she commented wryly, making her Professor chuckle.

"You're probably right about that," he agreed. "So, have you inquired of McGonagall about your bed yet?"

"No…" she answered slowly. "I didn't really want to talk to her. Our last conversation did not end well."

"Well, you can't just leave it as it is," he pointed out. "What are you going to do, sleep on the couch forever? That's hardly a good solution."

"I don't know," she sighed. "I thought I'd try putting it back together the Muggle way."

"There's hardly any point to that," Lucius commented with a slight wrinkling of his nose. "There's little a Muggle can do that magic can't take care of as well. Best to just get it over with, I'd say. I will even go with you, if you'd like. She's less likely to be rude with an overprotective ex-Death Eater in your court."

Hermione chuckled at this notion. "Well then, I suppose we'd best get on with it," she answered. "I have a free hour or two at the moment, as I believe you do also."

"Wait a moment," he said. "No need to rush quite that much."

"Oh yes there is," she said sternly. "If I let you get started, we'll use up all the time on kisses and I'll be abominably late for my next class—if I get there at all."

"I would never," he denied it with a playful smirk. "Just a little taste, my sweet?"

Blushing, Hermione shook her head and examined her hands until Lucius tilted her face up to his. His lips claimed hers, and their tongues joined in a playful dance. A loan groan escaped from her throat, and the kiss intensified. Their hearts pounded so loud each could hear the other's. Their breaths came in quick little gasps.

Lucius broke away first, remembering the taste was supposed to be brief. "We'd better go before your words prove to be correct," he commented shakily.

They left the dungeon and headed for the Headmistress's office together. They walked closer together than would usually be acceptable, but neither of them seemed to be concerned with the speculative looks or the words spoken behind hands as they passed. They were far too happy to be together to worry over such pettiness.

Minerva looked up in surprise as the two entered together, and returned to her seat behind her desk. "What may I do for the two of you?" she asked in a rather severe tone.

"Oh, it's not really about me, Minerva," said Lucius in an affable tone. "This has much more to do with Hermione. Tell her, my dear."

Blushing, Hermione said, "I—um—er—well—uh."

"Are you speaking in some sort of unintelligible code I've yet to learn, child?" asked the Headmistress with a chuckle.

"My bed broke," she finally got out, and her face became quite red.

"Did it?" asked Minerva with widened eyes. She glanced at Lucius as she asked, "And what might you have been doing at the time, Hermione?"

"Does it really matter?" she asked in a higher voice than usual.

"Have a seat, both of you," said Minerva, and she took a deep breath to steady herself as they did so. When everyone was situated, she continued, "You see, my dear, that old bed has a curse on it. It isn't well known, mind you. Only a very few people know of it. It happened in the year I was Head Girl, as a matter of fact. One of the other girls was jealous over the fact that Tom and I—I mean, it doesn't matter who the boy was, does it? Anyway, she wanted my boyfriend for herself, and so in a fit of rage she cursed my bed so that if ever he and I were to—" she cleared her throat here, and her cheeks flushed. "—were to conceive a child, as seemed to be happening to Head Girls frequently in those days—Well, anyway, if we'd done so, the bed would have broken. So, I must ask you again. What were you doing when the bed broke?"

"I—we—well, I think you know already, Headmistress," she answered as she stared down at her hands.

"But that must mean—" Lucius began as he took one of Hermione's hands in his. "Oh, you most excellent girl. Do you know what this means?"

"It means I'm going to have to finish school a bit earlier than I expected," Hermione grumbled.

"Well, yes, there is that," he agreed. "But this is most excellent news. I will move you into the manor, and we can be blissfully happy together."

"But I had no designs on becoming a housewife," she pointed out.

"No, of course you didn't," he agreed. "We'll have to see about getting a nanny while we're at it. I'm sure you can be a wife and mother, and hold a career as well. I never doubted it."

"Hermione, might I offer a solution?" Minerva inquired.

"Y-yes?" she said softly, her cheeks still suffused with color.

"The school librarian will be retiring at the end of this year," she said. "Who better to replace her than the one person who might even know more about the place than she does herself?"

"You want me to be the new librarian?" Hermione gasped.

"Can you think of a better way to ensure this rascal you've gotten involved with behaves himself?" she asked with a chuckle. "And it will be just in time, too. He's just offered to finance the building of a staff housing unit. Some of the other Professors' spouses will be able to live on site, and I understand that there will be a daycare also. You do know that the Ministry has put forth a call to all witches and wizards to repopulate, since the war took such a toll on our numbers?"

"I had heard," Hermione grumbled.

"Well, at least this way you won't be getting a letter when you graduate asking you to be a willing participant," Minerva pointed out.

"They're giving out letters?" Hermione gasped.

"They're even going so far as to suggest potential partnerships," she answered with a shake of her head.

"Why is this the first I'm hearing of this?" Hermione wanted to know.

"I didn't want to trouble the seventh years with yet another pressure," she said. "It's difficult enough to complete the last year without being forced to choose a life partner at the same time."

"So, what do you think, Hermione?" Lucius asked, taking her other hand as well. "Shall we make a go of it? The librarian and the dark arts Professor? Let's give the little gossip mongers something to really sink their teeth into."

Hermione chuckled and nodded. "You know me too well, I think," she accused him lightly.

"Quite intimately, in fact," he mentioned as he kissed the top of her head.

"I only have one question left, however," Hermione said pointedly.

Both looked at her expectantly after exchanging a glance with one another.

"Who the bloody hell is going to fix my bed?" she grumbled. "I'd like to get some sleep."

The three of them all laughed, and Minerva got up to give hugs to the both of them. It was decided that in the interest of avoiding overtiring a pregnant woman that a new bed should be immediately brought in, and she would have it by the end of the day.

4


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-three: The Halls of Hogwarts

Hermione had slept for about twelve hours undisturbed when Lucius entered her bedroom in the dark of the night. She woke to his kisses with a soft giggle when he pulled down the sheets and lifted her instead of joining her in the new bed.

"What are you doing?" she asked with a giggle.

"I'm not having anything more to do with hexed beds," he said. "I'm talking you to mine."

"What do you mean, Lucius?" she asked. "Are you going to carry me through the halls all the way to your bedroom?"

"That is precisely my intention," he told her with a chuckle. "The halls are abandoned at this hour, are they not?"

"You don't need to carry me," she answered. "I am perfectly able to walk."

"Be that as it may," he said, but left the rest of the sentence hanging as he moved her upwards to give her a hungry kiss. She had no chance to ask anything else as he continued to kiss her while he walked down the stairs.

As they exited the dorm, however, she said, "Put me down, you silly man. I'm not going to break, you know."

"But I like you in my arms," he told her with a slight smirk. "I'll like you even more when you're in my bed."

"Like?" she inquired softly.

"Ultra-like," he said with a grin.

"Ultra-like?" she asked with a raised brow, trying not to laugh.

"Ultra-love," he whispered in her ear.

"Well, I ultra-love you too," she said, giggling when he bit her ear. "Now, ultra put me down."

"That could be painful," he pointed out. "I'd rather not."

"Is this another Dark Arts lesson, Professor?"

"Indeed," he said, and then he set her onto her feet and opted to hold her hand as they walked instead. "Better?"

"Much," she said with relief. "And just in time, too."

"Ah, Professor Flitwick," Lucius said amiably. "What are you doing out at this time of night?"

"I've heard the news," he said testily. "Congratulations, Malfoy. I suppose the best man won."

"Professor?" Hermione inquired with a shake of her head.

"Good evening, Miss Granger," he said with a lascivious smile. "It's a pleasure to see you. Out strolling with your lover, I see."

"My fiancé," she corrected him with a serene smile.

"I had not heard that part," he said, his smile diminishing somewhat. "It will be curious to see what the rest of his family has to say about that. His distant cousins will make the worst of the stink, but you can be sure there will be others."

"Why should they do that?" asked Hermione.

"Just because the Dark Lord is dead, doesn't mean the Supremacist movement has been laid to rest, Miss Granger," he pointed out. "I hope your backbone is as strong as I believe it to be, or you'll have every one of them breathing down your neck in no time."

"Professor Flitwick, are you trying to frighten my intended?" Lucius asked, giving the man a dark look that had him straightening up as tall as he could as he glared up at him for a moment.

"Of course not, no offense meant," he finally said. "Good evening, the both of you. Do enjoy your time together."

"Of that you can be sure," Lucius said in a mellow tone, a smile gracing his lips as he drew Hermione's hand into the crook of his arm and rested it there before leading her away with a dignified air.

"That was—educational," Hermione commented dryly. "And what distant cousins is the good Professor going on about?"

"The Malfoy family originated centuries ago, in the far northern Wizarding country of Praust. It is unknown to the Muggles, and my great, great grandfather left the place to resettle in the warmer climes, for I have been told the place was made entirely of ice."

"Sounds chilling," Hermione said with a smirk.

"Yes, I imagine it was," he agreed. "Anyway, some others came out along with him, and of course they've been interbreeding ever since. Most of them live in the south of France, but I'm certain that if they catch word of our nuptials one or more of them are sure to arrive, blustering about how I'll be outcast from the family if I marry a—pardon the use—Mudblood."

"I didn't want to cause trouble for—"

"Hush, love," he said, placing a hand on her lips. "I don't care for the lot of them anymore. Not since I realized that everything they stand for was very wrong. I will be proud to have a Muggleborn wife, and proud to have a half-blood child with her. Maybe even more than one."

"Lucius, if you've put more than one in there, I'm going to hex you but good," she announced with a smile that shone a bit too maliciously.

"Is that a challenge, my dear?" he chuckled. "We haven't had a good battle in a while."

"Should we not save that for class?" she asked with a smirk.

"Yes, I shall issue the challenge on Monday directly," he answered.

"Should I battle in my condition?" Hermione asked uncertainly.

"I would never do anything that would harm you or my child," he said as he turned and kissed her on top of her head. As he did so, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley rounded the bend, running.

"Gentlemen, I trust you have a reason for this infraction of the rules?" Lucius asked as he straightened up again.

"We were on our way to get Hermione," Harry said. "Someone has opened the Chamber of Secrets."

"I thought they'd sealed it up," Lucius answered, confused. "How on earth did anyone get inside?"

"Come on, then, you might as well see for yourself," Harry said urgently. "I've been hearing parseltongue for over an hour now. Multiple voices. I'm sure Hermione will know what to make of it."

"I'm afraid I do," she agreed as she placed a hand on her own belly. "I believe the old basilisk may have some offspring. But I'll need some hard evidence if we want to prove something like that."

"I'm coming with you, my dear," Lucius said. "I won't have you taking undue risks while you're off adventuring through the underbelly of this ancient castle. Even I do not know what we are likely to find down there."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four: A Way In

"I'm telling you, Potter, you're not going to get into the Chamber of Secrets through the second floor bathroom anymore," Lucius insisted as he walked swiftly behind the sprinting students. "It's been completely sealed off. The hole itself no longer exists. It is pointless to go this way."

Harry wasn't listening to the older man. His hands flew up to cover his ears and he shook his head vigorously. "They're getting louder," he told everyone. "I think they are moving."

"Potter, your headstrong ways are going to be the death of you one day," said Lucius irritably. "We should be looking for an entrance in the dungeons. That's the only other spot that seems likely, considering the former occupants of that dungeon were Slytherins, and we are looking for an opening made by the founder of that house."

"He's right, you know," Hermione agreed. "You should listen to him."

"Listen to—" Ron began heatedly, and he cast Lucius a slight glare. "How do we know he's not the one who's behind it?"

"Ronald Weasley, you take that back!" Hermione shouted, looking very much like she wanted to punch him right in the nose.

"It's all right, my little scrapper," Lucius chuckled as he ran a soothing hand along her shoulders and down her back. "I can't blame him for having the opinion, considering my less than exemplary past, and the fact I stole his girl."

"No, you didn't," she protested. "It's his own fault I left, as well he knows."

"Everyone, I hate to break up the blaming session, but we're trying to stop a mass attack of baby basilisks from invading Hogwarts," Harry pointed out irritably. "Professor, since you seem to believe you know where to look, please lead the way."

"I didn't say I know precisely where to look, Potter," he said. "Just where I would start given the probabilities."

"Well, if it will keep you two occupied, I'm willing to let you try," Harry insisted.'

"Very well, then," Lucius said as he straightened his shoulders. "Shall we?"

He offered Hermione his arm and she took it, causing Ron to glare again and roll his eyes. But they all hurried down to the dungeons without any further conversation.

"We must be careful," Lucius cautioned them. "If the chamber is truly open, there could well be a multitude of baby basilisks running amok down here. They are too young to turn you to stone, of course, but the venom is lethal nonetheless."

"Yes, I remember," Harry said with a shudder. "Though I'd much rather I could forget."

Lucius smirked as he slid an arm around Hermione's midsection and drew her back against his chest. "Best if you stay with my, my dear. I can't protect you if you're not by my side."

Ron made a face as if he'd just swallowed the dirty end of a horse's anatomy as he turned away from the amorous embrace. "Can't keep their hands to themselves for five minutes," he commented with a shake of his head. "It's disgusting, is what that is."

"You're only complaining because she never did that with you," Harry pointed out smugly.

"He's welcome to her," Ron said. "I'm glad to be rid of her. Nagging constantly, bickering over every little thing. You've got a lot tougher skin than I did, Malfoy, that's for sure."

"I'll thank you to stop badmouthing my fiancée and mother of my future child, Mr. Weasley," Lucius said sternly. "I'm still a Professor at this school. I'd hate to have to take away points from Gryffindor due to your ramblings."

"Mother of your future—_fiancee?" _Ron gasped in quick succession. "I don't believe it."

"Well, you'd better believe it," said Lucius with a smirk. "Now, go look over there in the potions room or something. Harry, can you hear anything of the offspring?"

"They're in the walls," Harry answered as he held his ears and looked all around, trying to track the movements. "How can you not hear that?"

"I hear them slithering about a little," he said. "But unlike you, I've no idea what they are saying. Can you make anything out?"

"They're trying to find a way out of the walls so they can feed," Harry explained. "Apparently they're unable to get out so far."

"Well, that's all to the good," Lucius said. "Especially considering what it is they're hoping to feed on. I don't think the reputation of the school would remain untarnished if the students became basilisk fodder."

"Do you hear that?" Harry asked as he moved toward the door to one of the dungeon's bathrooms. "There are quite of few of them gathered inside here."

"Careful, Potter, we don't know if they're gathered inside or outside of the walls," Lucius reminded him. He placed a finger to his lips, and carefully cracked open the door.

"Oh, thank goodness you're here," Neville Longbottom gasped. "The noise was starting to get to me. There's one of them blocking the door, I don't think you can get in, and I know I can't get out. What should I do?"

"Stop talking, fool," Lucius told him. "Do you want to attract them right to you?"

Neville shut his mouth rather abruptly and stared in horror at the very idea. Lucius slipped off his cloak and stretched it out in his hands, preparing to use it to catch the snake that blocked the entrance. Swiftly, he shoved open the door and grappled the meter-long creature, wrapping the head into the cloak so it could neither see nor bite.

"There are three more inside the last stall," Neville whispered.

Lucius pointed to Ron and Harry, motioning for them to deal with the other serpents. He did not have to tell Neville to get out of there. He was gone before the others were even fully through the door.

"I think I found the entrance," said Harry as he stared at the gaping hole behind the toilet of the last stall. "I hope this is a good idea."

"Well, Potter, if you've got a better one, I'd love to hear what it is," Lucius said dryly.

"You've got your evidence right there," Harry pointed out. "I think we'd best call in some reinforcements."

"For once, I think you and I have found something on which we agree," said Lucius with a nod. "Now help me get this thing upstairs so we can alert the Headmistress right away."


	25. Chapter 25

His Dark Arts RedShadow43

Chapter Twenty-Five: Big Trouble

"And you say that you're hearing more than one of these things, Harry?" Kingsley asked for about the fifth time since Professor McGonagall had summoned him.

"Sir, we're wasting time," Harry protested. "If we don't act now, these basilisks are going to overrun the school. And after they devour or kill all the students here, where do you suppose they'll head next? Outside, that's where. For all we know, some of them are escaping even as we speak."

"And what do you propose to do about it?" Kingsley wanted to know. "I don't even begin to pretend to be an expert on serpents, Potter."

"We've got to contain them somehow, of course," said Harry as if he were speaking to a child.

"Kingsley, we may not see eye to eye on a lot of things, but you know I have always been a man of action," said Lucius as he stepped in front of Harry insistently. "We must assemble a task force of at least twenty wizards, send them down there—"

"We don't have twenty wizards at the moment, Malfoy," Kingsley told him. "They've all gone off on a holiday in the south of France."

"All of them?" Lucius clarified. "Why would they do that?"

"Well, the most obvious reason would be because they didn't have to worry about the Dark Lord any longer," Kingsley pointed out. "I certainly didn't think we'd be dealing with something like this when I gave them the go ahead."

"You must know that there is always the danger of something like this, Kingsley," Lucius admonished him. "Has the Ministry suddenly gone to shit since I left?"

"Now, hold on, Malfoy, there's no need to start slinging mud, here," he protested.

"Both of you, stop it," Hermione said sternly. "Honestly, I didn't think I'd have to break apart a couple of two year olds already. Kingsley, I'm afraid Lucius has the right of it. We need as many witches and wizards as we can get, and we needed them yesterday. Surely not everyone has gone south for the winter?"

"I'm sorry, Hermione, but my hands are tied," Kingsley explained. "We'll be lucky if we can find ten good wizards right now."

"Then perhaps we should employ a few not so good wizards," said Hermione as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

"What do you mean, dear?" Lucius asked, afraid he knew the answer.

"Why don't we see if we can persuade a few Death Eaters to turn sides by offering them a pardon for helping us eradicate the basilisks?" she suggested, earning scowls from both Kingsley and Lucius.

"You've got to be kidding," Kingsley protested.

"Hermione, my darling, do you have any idea how vicious some of those Death Eaters are?" Lucius pointed out. "This risk is too great to simply let them out."

"But Lucius, you can advise us on who to take, can't you?"

"Yes, I suppose I could, but—"

"But what?" she asked irritably.

"But, I'm not sure you should come with us," he said, wincing even as he said it.

"We need every able-bodied witch or wizard we can get," Kingsley pointed out. "Why would you want to leave one of our best behind?"

"Because I do not wish my fiancée or our unborn child to be harmed," Lucius said stubbornly.

"Your what?" Kingsley gasped, grasping at his chest for a moment.

"You heard me perfectly well," Lucius insisted. "We don't have time to explain all the details, so you'll just have to trust me on this one."

"Hermione?"

"I don't care if I am pregnant, I'm still perfectly capable of—"

"Of being bitten, or worse," Lucius finished for her.

"Well, unless you've recently studied about basilisks and how to find them, you're going to need me," Hermione pointed out. "Because someone had to have birthed all these offspring, and if you get rid of them without getting rid of her, you're certain to just have this problem crop up again someday."

"Sure, in another five hundred years or so," said Lucius dryly.

"Be that as it may, I'm coming with you," Hermione insisted.

"Stubborn witch," he grumbled. "Very well then, but you must stay close to me, where I can protect you properly."

"I will," she agreed, giving his hand a squeeze.

"Good," he said. "Now there's no time to waste. Kingsley, Hermione, the three of us shall go to Azkaban. Harry, I think you're better off to stay here, and see if you can hear what the foul creatures are planning. We wouldn't want the prisoners to attempt a mass escape just to kill you on sight, would we?"

"That would not be my first choice, no," agreed Harry with a wry laugh. "Hurry back, though. I'd hate to start losing people while you're gone."

"Believe me, Harry Potter, that's the last thing I wish to see happen," said Lucius as he gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Take care of yourself."

"You, too," Harry answered as he put a hand over the older man's briefly. "And thanks."

"Of course," Lucius answered, and then he grabbed Kingsley's hand and Hermione's as well, and the three disappeared into a short spiral of green flame.

"Should I be worried about this, Potter?" asked McGonagall as she stared at the spot the trio had just occupied.

"You mean about the fact we're about to be overrun by serpents, or the fact we're about to be overrun by Death Eaters?"

"Take you pick, Potter. Take your pick."

3


	26. Chapter 26

His Dark Arts RedShadow43

Chapter Twenty-six: Azkaban

"And we have your word, Minister, that we'll be pardoned of all crimes involving the Dark Lord?" asked Thorfinn Rowle in a wheedling tone as he steepled his hands together and looked at Lucius Malfoy speculatively.

"You do," Kingsley agreed, watching as the man's eyes traveled from Lucius to the woman he had seated near his side but slightly hidden by his shoulder. "As long as I have your word that you and your men will not pursue any of the aims once sought by Lord Voldemort prior to his demise."

"Is that why you've brought the little Mudblood along, Minister?" he asked with a smirk. "You're not going to make us perform an unbreakable oath, I trust?"

"That's not a bad idea," Kingsley said with a glance in Hermione's direction.

"Don't even think it," said Lucius coldly as he glared at the Minister and moved so that Hermione was even better hidden than before.

Dolohov laughed shrewdly and said, "I see now why your loyalties have changed so drastically, Malfoy. I can't say I blame you."

"I'll thank you to keep your dirty mind off of my fiancée, Antonin," Lucius said. "I brought her along to keep her safe from snakes, and as I have always considered you to be one, I'll be keeping you off of her as well."

Sneering at these words, Dolohov leant back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest, clearly choosing to keep his thoughts to himself lest he not be included with the others. Lucius was quite certain the man would need careful watching once matters were successfully concluded.

Ten others, including the senior editions of Crabbe and Goyle, Nott and Rookwood among others, all agreed to play their part in the capture and disposal the basilisks. These men sat listening as Kingsley explained.

"For any of you who might be less informed in such matters, it is imperative that you do not look a basilisk directly in its eyes. Even at a younger age as we believe these basilisks to be, they are still capable of rendering serious injury to anyone foolish enough to do so. The result could be fatal, or you might be turned to stone if you're lucky enough to survive. Miss Hermione Granger, here, was lucky enough to be revived through the use of mandrake, but there are very few fully mature mandrake plants currently available. They would have to be grown especially should the need arise."

"And how likely would it be that they'd be grown to save us as quickly and readily as they were grown for her?" Dolohov wanted to know. "You're not going to leave anyone so unfortunate in their petrified state, I trust?"

"Yes, your word that we're not being led to the slaughter would be good," Thorfinn agreed.

"All persons who are petrified will be freed as soon as possible," Kingsley said. "Unless any of you break any more laws, you will be entering society again with a clean slate. Think of it as a fresh start, and use it wisely."

"Well, then, what are we waiting for?" said Dolohov as enthusiastically as possible. "I'm game."

"One can only hope," Lucius commented dryly, and Hermione tried to suppress a chuckle.

"Yes, time is of the essence," Kingsley agreed. "We'll just need to stop off for a few supplies along the way."

#

"Kingsley, this is no time for a circus attraction," Lucius complained when he saw where they had gone after Disapparating from Azkaban. The rows of striped tents were long-since abandoned, and overgrown weeds made it difficult to walk.

"Yes, Minister, why are we here?" Thorfinn wanted to know.

"This was the first place I could think of where we might find lots of mirrors," Kingsley explained. "We must gather as many as possible, and anything else you see that could help dispatch a few baby basilisks, please feel free to grab that as well."

"Aren't you afraid we're going to disappear now that we're not in the prison anymore?" asked Dolohov snidely.

"I'd love it if you did, Dolohov," Lucius told him. "Any excuse to kill you works for me."

"You're just jealous because Hermione and I share a history," Dolohov said with a smirk.

"What do you mean?" Lucius growled.

"Well, I broke her battle cherry, didn't I?" Dolohov explained with a grin. "Bet she'll never forget how neatly my spell sliced her open."

"Kingsley, must we bring along this odious creature?" Lucius inquired.

"We need every wizard we can get right now, Lucius," Kingsley reminded him sternly.

"First chance I get, you're going to regret those words, Antonin," Lucius informed him. "I'm sure we could use a sacrificial lamb in this troupe"

"I'll keep that in mind," he sneered, and then turned to Kingsley to ask, "When do we get our wands back?"

"Not until we're in the dungeon," Kingsley said. "No sense in tempting fate. Now, get a mirror and join the others—unless you'd rather return to Azkaban as Lucius suggests?"

Dolohov turned away and did as he was told.

3


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-seven: The Outer Cave

"Hello, Potter, has anything happened since we left?" asked Kingsley with a worried frown as he and a whole bunch of Death Eaters walked into the Great Hall of Hogwarts, which now seemed almost completely devoid of any students. "Has Minerva sent the students home as we suggested?"

"Yes, all but the seventh years, sir," Harry told him. "I took the liberty of asking along Order members. After all, we can use all the wands we can get—especially with this lot around."

"Yes, I know just what you mean," he agreed. "Well, Lucius, you're the one who found the opening, lead the way."

"Yes, of course, Minister," Lucius agreed, and turned to look at Hermione uncertainly. "You're sure you won't just leave this to the rest of us, love?"

"You know my answer to that," Hermione answered stubbornly. "I'm just pregnant, not some kind of invalid. Let's go."

"I knew you'd say that," Lucius answered, giving her a quick kiss before taking her by the arm and walking briskly down the hall and into the dungeons. He stopped at the door to the bathroom. "In here, sirs. But I must warn you to be very careful. The place could be drawling with basilisks by now."

"That's strange," Harry said as he moved forward to join Lucius by the door. "I don't hear anything. Not even one serpent."

"What about while we were gone?" Lucius wanted to know. "Were you able to make out anything they said?"

"They seemed to all be repeating the same thing to each other, like maybe they were passing on a message," Harry explained. "I think they've worked out that they're not going to escape through this bathroom. That may be why it's so quiet in there now. Perhaps they've all gone back into the Chamber or went in search of a better way out."

"That's either incredibly good luck, or exceedingly bad," Kingsley commented. "If they've gone back into the Chamber, then at least this bathroom would be clear. But that also would mean more of the creatures are hiding somewhere in the place we are headed."

Hermione had a speculative look as she stared at the door. "Open the door, Harry," she said. "They won't be in there."

"How do you know?" he asked.

"Women's intuition," she told him.

Harry stepped forward and cautiously opened the door. Not a single serpent remained in the bathroom. He nodded to the others to follow, and said, "Keep your mirrors ready, everyone. You never know if you might need them."

"Then you don't think all the basilisks are freshly hatched?" asked Thorfinn as he stepped forward behind Potter. "Do you believe there might be an adult?"

"I don't know," Harry told him. "But I wouldn't rule out the possibility."

Harry used his wand for a light as the others filed in behind him. The floor of the cave they entered was littered with skeletons of dead rats and the shed skins of many basilisks. The farther in they went, the larger the skins seemed to be.

"Harry, I've got to ask you something," Hermione finally said.

He stopped in his tracks and turned to face her. "Yes, Hermione, what is it?"

"Could you tell the gender of the basilisk that you killed?"

"What? Male, I think," he answered, slightly confused. "Why?"

"So, you killed the father, but now we have all these young basilisks," she said. "So, who laid the eggs?"

Harry slapped himself on his scar. "Of course," he groaned. "That must be who called them all back. It must have been their mother. And if she's anything like her mate, she's as cunning as they come and faster than lightning. Hermione, I never would have thought of that without you. Thank you."

"No problem, Harry," she said brightly.

"Everyone, you heard what Hermione just said," Kingsley told the others. "We'll need to keep an eye out for the mother as well as the babies."

"You know," said Dolohov. "My uncle always said our house descended from Slytherins, but we never had a pedigree to prove it. I wonder if that's why I feel so at home down here."

"Shut it, Dolohov," Thorfinn growled at him. "We've had enough of your sass for one day."

"Come on, let's keep moving," said Harry. "And try not to make any unnecessary noise. These things can hear a pin drop, and they'd be on us in a instant once they pinpointed our location."

For the next ten minutes or so, they fanned out and scoured the area, looking for the offspring. Once or twice they heard a short, sharp clanging sound coming from inside the Chamber itself.

"Three of them," Thorfinn called out as he fired off a volley of wand spells.

"Four more!" Lucius shouted, blasting another erea clean.

"I've got it all worked out in my head, see," Dolohov called out as if he'd made a huge discovery. "Voldemort wasn't really the heir of Slytherin because he was not of pure blood. No known persons of Slytherin ancestry are recorded. But as I said, we just haven't got the paperwork to prove our status. I think that since I'm a pureblood and he wasn't, that must mean I've been the heir of Slytherin all along. You should all bow down to me."

"He'd gone looney," Hermione said worriedly.

"Well, if he doesn't shut it, he's going to have that mother down on us in no time," Lucius complained.

Even as he said it, a loud sound like the body of a huge serpent slithering through the debris met their ears. Before anyone even had a chance to blink, the hugest basilisk imaginable went swiftly past and snapped up the boastful Dolohov along the way, carrying him off before he could even finish his sentence.

"I guess that's what happens when a bloke spends too much time at Azkaban, eh?" Harry commented wryly. "That place is enough to drive anyone bonkers."

"Yes, I quite agree," Lucius said as he tried unsuccessfully to hide a smirk. "But on the bright side, she'll be too busy eating him to bother us right away."

"Six more up ahead!" Thorfinn reported, and another volley of spells resounded through the echoing cave, reminding them all just how dangerous things were at the moment. They all became serious again as they turned back to the work at hand.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-eight: Dolohov

Surprised he was still not devoured as the basilisk continued her swift journey, Dolohov had taken to clinging to her snout in desperation and tucking his head in so it would not hit another rock. He was certain the mother wasn't eating him because he was being taken back to her nest. He didn't even want to think about what that meant.

He began to look around for possible avenues of escape, and when he spotted a smallish tunnel he was sure the large creature could not enter, he took his wand out and blasted it right in the nearest eye. As the mother basilisk screamed from the pain, Dolohov shoved himself away and rolled off of her, straight into the cave.

This could be good, he thought as he ran down the incline and into the seemingly empty cave. The others will think I am dead. I'll let them think so, and make good my escape. Then they'll see who the real heir is when I raise an army of my own.

Suddenly, he felt a coil slip around his ankle. He used a mirror to look down, and realized he'd ran right into three of the hatchlings. Through the mirror, he aimed and shot each of them. They were a good reminder how much danger he was still in, and since this particular cave was taking him deeper, it was likely that even more of the babies were somewhere up ahead.

Keeping his eyes open for an offshoot that would take him back above, Dolohov used his wand to light the way. He killed five more basilisks as he rounded a bend, and eight more when he rounded the next. Up ahead, he could see another cave entrance, and he headed for it, hopeful that it would take him back to the top.

"Greetings, human," said a voice off to the side of him.

Startled, Dolohov turned to stare as a basilisk who seemed slightly older than the others but nowhere near as big as the others watched him.

"What the devil?" he gasped. "You can talk?"

"No, but you can listen," it said. "I am able to speak directly into the mind of other sentient creatures. I can also read their thoughts. Why are you here, creature of the lands above."

"The others wish to prevent your kind from entering our world," he explained. "I just want to return to that world in one piece."

"Then perhaps we could help each other," said the basilisk. "We know of a way out, but we are not able to move the rocks that block the path. You, with your arms and legs, would be much more capable of such a feat."

"You want me to release tons of baby basilisks out into the world, where they could devour children and eventually turn people to stone?" Dolohov replied. "What's in it for me?"

"You would be free of the caves," it answered.

"No, I wish for a better payment than that," he answered shrewdly. "I want an army. An army of basilisks who would willingly do my bidding. I want you to help me take over the world."

"It shall be done," said the creature, bowing it's head.

"No," said Dolohov. "No, that's not good enough. I'll have your bond upon it."

"Bond? What is this bond of which you speak?"

Aiming his wand, Dolohov drew a circle around the head of the basilisk, then one around his own, and said, "This deal is now unbreakable, you must repeat your pledge to me, that all the basilisks I release will call me their lord and master, and follow my orders without hesitation, and help me take over the world."

Mesmerized, the basilisk tore its eyes from the string of light surrounding them, and said, "I do so promise."

"Then it is done," said Dolohov with an evil smile. "Show me the way."

They went deeper into the cavern, and then the ground began to rise again. Finally, they came to an incline which they followed upwards for some time. The floor leveled out, and as Dolohov looked around he realized they'd come to the remains of an old castle built directly inside the ground. He knew of these ruins, which were far away from the school. It must have taken them many hours to travel so far.

"This could be perfect," he said with awe as he looked around. "The basilisks could come and go as they pleased, and remain connected to the underground caverns they're already familiar with. It's simply brilliant."

"I'm glad you think so," said his companion. "Now, if you will, there is still the matter of opening the front door."

"Yes, of course," Dolohov agreed.

There was quite a lot of rubble to be moved, but in the interest of saving his own hide and elevating his status greatly, Dolohov made quick work of it. At one point, four of the young basilisks joined in to help, and he nodded his thanks.

He was already realizing that if the older basilisk kept his word, he alone would be able to direct the orders Dolohov would give. It was as well that he had bound him, for if the serpent had any designs on taking over amidst the planned-for tyranny, he would be in for a nasty surprise.

Then again, if he was foolish enough to break his oath and get himself killed, how would Dolohov communicate with the others? He wondered if there was some way he could get this creature to teach him Parseltongue, so that he would be less dependent upon it. But that was for another day. He still had a lot of clearing left to do before it mattered. Going faster than ever, Dolohov did his best to make at least a sizable dent before he would need a rest.

The young basilisk and there slightly older Captain watched on with interest. One of them approached their apparent leader with curiosity.

"What manner of human is this, who would be of help to serpent-kind?"

"He is either a great leader, or a great fool," the older basilisk replied. "Which one of the two it is remains to be seen."


	29. Chapter 29

His Dark Arts RedShadow43

Chapter Twenty-nine: The Mother Basilisk

Harry and Kingsley led the Death Eaters towards the inner chamber, while Hermione and Lucius brought up the rear of the unlikely group. The closer they got to their destination, the more of the creatures they came across, and their sizes became more varied.

"Good thing we brought along these mirrors," Kingsley said as he used his yet again to see the basilisk he was aiming at. He fired off a green spell and the serpent was flung across the cave. Its lifeless body hit the far wall before it crumpled to the ground.

"Kingsley, that was a bit forceful, don't you think?" asked Hermione from her vantage point a couple meters back.

"Sorry," he replied. "I'm just starting to feel uncomfortable in here. I wish we were done with this and back in open air again."

"You may as well get ahold of yourself, mate," Harry said as he squeezed his shoulder. "I'm fairly certain this next bit is going to get even worse."

"You can say that again," Thorfinn called out.

"Should we be making all this noise?" Hermione inquired uncertainly.

"Hermione, it's a fair bet the mother knows we're coming," Harry pointed out. "After all, she's probably digesting one of us right this minute."

"Ugh! Harry!" she grumbled as a wave of nausea assailed her. Lucius turned and rubbed her back as she got sick shortly afterwards.

"Nice going, Potter," he said in a clipped voice which reminded Harry of their interactions before the end of the war.

"Sorry," he said dryly. "Now, if we're all finished with our bouts of nerves, shall we proceed?"

"Yes, please," Kingsley said. "The sooner we kill the egg layer, the sooner we get out of here."

After about ten more wands blasted basilisks, the group came to a huge circular door locked with strange, metallic serpents. Harry hissed at it in the strange tongue of the snakes, and the lock slithered open, allowing them access.

"Be careful, everyone," Harry reminded them. "She's probably lying in wait somewhere in here. I don't think she'll be out in plain sight just yet. She'll want to spring the trap when we're well into the hall and won't be able to get away."

"Great," Thorfinn grumbled. "Remind me again why I signed up for this mission?"

"Release from prison, chance for a new start—am I ringing any bells?" Lucius commented dryly.

"Oh yeah, right," he said, and preceded Lucius and Hermione into the doorway.

"You're certain you want to go in there, my love?" Lucius asked Hermione as he moved to help her through the opening.

"Yes, Lucius, I'm quite sure," Hermione insisted.

"Just what I always wanted," he chuckled. "The most headstrong woman alive."

Hermione chuckled along with him, and kissed his cheek.

"Oh no, that will never do," he told her as he kissed her lips instead. "We could well be dead within the hour. Surely you can do better than that."

"We're not allowed to die," Hermione told him firmly. "I don't have the right last name yet, and our child has yet to enter this world."

"Well then, I suppose you had better be careful," he told her, then swatted her on the arse before turning her around and aiming her towards the doorway. He followed behind her as closely as he could, and had to blast two more basilisks before he could go inside as well.

The Death Eaters were gazing with awe at the tall statues of serpents to either side as they traversed cautiously toward a huge, bearded face at the far end of the immense chamber. Thorfinn, especially, was rendered speechless by the sight. Tears actually came to his eyes.

"Are you all right, Thorfinn?" Lucius asked when he saw him.

"It's just so—beautiful," he told him. "To think, Salazar Slytherin himself made this place. Can you imagine how powerful he must have been?"

"Yes," Lucius agreed. "It is most impressive. But we must not lose ourselves in the moment just yet, for this place is just as deadly as it is beautiful. If you don't keep your wits about you, you'll become a statue yourself."

"Quite right," he agreed as he wiped at his eyes to clear them.

Their footsteps echoed ominously as they progressed. Just as they reached the pool of water that surrounded the huge likeness of the fourth founder of Hogwarts, they could all hear the unmistakable sound of a large, scaled creature sliding quickly through the intricate tunnels that surrounded them.

"Get your mirrors ready, everyone," Kingsley reminded them.

The mouth at the base of the head opened up, and the huge female slithered out.

"So, Harry Potter, you have returned at last," she hissed at the boy who lived.

"Yes, I have come," he answered.

"My master may not have ended you, but perhaps I will do it for him," she hissed as she reared up above him.

Harry used the mirror to look at her, and said, "Why serve a master with evil intentions?"

"Oh no, Potter, I believe you misunderstood," she said. "His aim was not evil, it was order. It was only these fools you've brought along as fodder whose aims were evil. Surely even you must know that one must compromise to get what they are after. This is one of the first lessons taught to the Slytherin students, and never taught to a Gryffindor."

"You really think you will outlive this many wizards?" Harry scoffed.

"I do not need to outlive them," she answered. "They can do as they wish with me—once I have done my master's bidding and ended your life."

The huge serpent lunged, but Harry was ready for her. With an agile flip away from her, he jumped up onto the side of the head-statue and climbed to the top. "Now where have I seen this before?" he said. "Oh yes, I remember. This is the exact place I stood when I killed your mate."

"It's also where you should have perished when his fangs sank deep," she hissed angrily. She lunged again, and Harry evaded her. "But where is your sword this time, Potter?"

"I don't need a sword to end you," Harry told the beast. "Avada Kedavra!"

She evaded the spell easily, and moved to lunge again. But then, out of the corner of his eye, Harry realized that every occupant of that vast hall, Death Eater, Slytherin, or non-Slytherin alike, had their wand aimed. In one voice, they all shouted "Avada Kedavra" as green light shot forth and struck the huge basilisk.

"No!" she hissed as she writhed about. "My children shall avenge me!"

Then, as she fell dead upon the floor, the walls came to life. From every crack and crevice, young basilisks slithered forth, surrounding them all with death in their eyes.

4


	30. Chapter 30

His Dark Arts RedShadow43

Chapter Thirty: Unexpected

**A/N: MMWillow13 thanks for the idea….**

Every wizard there fought for their lives, picking off as many basilisks as they could one by one. The task was beginning to seem hopeless, and Kingsley and Harry looked in vain for a way out.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all," said Harry worriedly as the group bunched together and slowly edged their way back the way they had come in. "We don't even know if leaving the chamber will mean we've escaped at all. The only true way to do this is to end every single one of them."

"You're probably right, Potter," Lucius agreed. "Now stop talking and keep ending."

Harry cast Lucius a scathing glare, and Hermione glared at him for it. Duly chastised, he cast his best friend's fiancé an apologetic grin. Lucius returned it with a tight smile of his own, his wand continuing to issue blasts of green the entire time.

"Lucius, you don't have to keep blocking me from all the basilisks," Hermione complained. "If I'm not going to be in on the battle, you shouldn't have brought me at all."

"And that would have suited me much better," he replied, flipping his mirror so he could see her face in it. She looked frustrated. "Oh, very well," he conceded, and moved over so she was beside him instead of behind him.

As soon as she moved forward, Hermione had a strange sensation from deep within her gut, and a bright, blinding light suddenly shot out of her belly and blasted into the fray, killing and wounding at least fifty basilisks with one blow.

Lucius and Hermione stared at each other in shocked surprise.

"Well, that was unexpected," he said.

"Hurry, let's get out of here before the others regroup!" shouted Harry. The others wasted no time in doing just that.

#

"What do you mean, leave it alone?" Harry gasped as he glared at Lucius Malfoy as though he had a hole in his head. "My best friend's belly just cast a spell that dispelled over a hundred basilisks, and you want me to just leave it alone?"

"Potter, she's obviously exhausted now, she has been sleeping in my bed for hours. I want you to just let her rest," he insisted. "It's not every day that your unborn child gets to save the day."

"You can say that again," Kingsley agreed. "Who would have thought a Muggleborn would end up with a baby so powerful it could cast spells directly from the womb? It's extraordinary."

"Hermione has always been extraordinary," Lucius pointed out. "I begin to suspect there may be more to her than meets the eye."

"How do you mean?" Harry wanted to know.

"Well, I won't go into any great detail, but after I learned from the Headmistress that the bed used by every Head Girl over the past fifty years was cursed to fall apart if a child were conceived in it, I took a little trip to the library," Lucius explained as he stood up from his seat and crossed the room to where he kept a decanter of brandy. He offered some to each of the three men with him—Thorfinn, Kingsley and Harry, and each willingly accepted.

"Go on," Harry prompted once he'd finished handing out the glasses.

"It seems that this particular spell has only ever worked on Muggleborns or Half-bloods," he continued. "And now, I am wondering how many of the fourteen children conceived in that bed went on to be highly powerful wizards in their own rights. I really must obtain a list of who they were. I suspect one of them was Lily Evans, by the way, Potter. And if she did, how has that affected you and your abilities over the years?"

"Well, I never heard of anybody who was able to cast a spell before they were even born," Harry told him. "Especially not one as powerful as that."

"But that's not really the point, is it?" Lucius persisted. "Any child born between the two of us would be quite powerful, just as we are. I understood that immediately. But could the fact Hermione conceived in that particular bed have played a role in enhancing our unborn little superstar?"

"So, you're saying that you think your baby was able to cast that spell because of some spell on Hermione's bed?" Kingsley inquired. "How is that possible?"

"How is anything possible, if you think about it?" Lucius asked.

"He does have a point," Thorfinn said.

"Be that as it may, I'm not sure we've solved the problem with the Chamber," Kingsley said. "Just because the little guy rescued us from certain death does not mean that the school is safe, nor does it mean the basilisks are gone. I've given the Death Eaters the old Slytherin dorm to sleep in tonight, but we are still going to have to seal that hole we used to get inside, and look for any others they made have made. The last thing we want if for the basilisks to make it out to the surface and start to repopulate. Only think of the chaos that would cause."

"Lucius?" Hermione called as she came to the door and peeked her head out. "Lucius, I need you. Something very odd is going on."

Everyone stared at her in stunned surprise. Starting from her abdomen and working its way up, Hermione's entire body was encased is a slight blue glow. Her face was crumpled up into a worried frown.

"Hermione?" Lucius gasped. "How do you feel?"

"Scared as hell," she told him as he took her into his arms. "Most definitely scared as hell."

"Don't worry, my darling," he answered reassuringly. "I'm sure that everything will be all right."

"I hope so," said Hermione as she covered her belly with her hands. "But whatever the case, I believe I'd feel much better if I went to see the healer."

"Yes, of course," Lucius agreed. "We'll do it tomorrow, first thing. Now, everyone, it does not good to stand around in my quarters. We all need some sleep. We will meet tomorrow and seal that hole in the bathroom wall. After that, we can set the Death Eaters to looking for more."

"Are you certain that they'll do a good job?" Kingsley asked worriedly.

Thorfinn put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed as he said, "You have my word on it."

3


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One: The Healer

"And you say that Miss Granger began to glow only just last night?" asked Healer Melkin curiously. "That is extraordinary. I wish I could get a good look at that bed."

"Well, I suppose it could be arranged," Lucius agreed. "It has only just been removed from her bedroom."

"And you're certain this pregnancy has only just begun?" the healer clarified as he pressed on Hermione's abdomen again.

"Most definitely," Lucius said. "I can vouch for her chastity prior to the occasion."

"Lucius!" Hermione complained with a blush.

"My dear, I am proud to be your first," he told her. "It makes it that much more special."

"I quite agree," Melkin added with a nod as he stood up again. "I only ask because this child seems bigger than I would have expected, given its extremely young age. I will want to see here again in a couple of weeks to compare, but I suspect this baby is growing a bit faster than normal."

"Do you suppose it's an effect of the spell, too?" Hermione wanted to know. "I confess I never thought I'd end up having such an unusual seventh year when I started out, but most especially I was never expecting this."

"I have always believed you to be a most unusual young woman," Lucius told her dryly. "I just didn't know how much."

"Stop!" she complained, slapping at his hand when he took the opportunity to rub her belly as well before she covered it up.

"You would deny me the pleasure of enjoying my child?" he inquired, affecting an offended air.

"Of course not," she gasped. "But we're not alone at the moment."

"Don't mind me, little lady," Melkin chuckled. "I've seen daddy's who get a lot worse than him."

"He tried to beat me just the other day," she said, trying not to smirk.

"What?" Lucius asked. "What do you mean?"

"When we were playing chess," she chuckled.

"You, my dear, are highly in need of another Dark Arts lesson," he informed her, and Melkin cast them a confused glance. Neither elaborated.

"Okay," Melkin said. "My work is done here for the moment. Just be sure you let me know of any other changes. And save those dark arts for the classroom, Professor. We don't prefer illegal spell casting around here."

"I'll keep that in mind," Lucius answered. They were barely able to contain their laughter until the healer had left the room.

Mirthfully, Hermione said, "Gods, you are terrible."

"Me?" Lucius said innocently. "What about you? I'm beginning to think I've found myself more of a match than I first suspected."

"Or perhaps your tutelage is rubbing off on me?" Hermione suggested demurely.

"Let's go, and I'll take you back to my room and see how well you've learned."

"Okay," Hermione agreed. "But don't blame me if you start glowing too before we're through."

Lucius held back a laugh at this, but when Hermione's slipped out his was soon to follow.

"My dear, we must contain ourselves before we get there," he reminded her. "It would hardly do to be in a fit of hysterics while the Death Eaters are about."

"Quite right," she agreed. "That bit of business is very serious, indeed."

#

Kingsley set the Death Eaters to their task while Hermione and Lucius were gone. Before he'd left them to their own devices, he had exacted oaths from every one of them to do the job to the very best of their ability. He set Thorfinn in charge of the activities, told Lucius that he could join as he liked, but insisted that Hermione must be tucked safely in away from it all if he did.

"Just go, Lucius," she insisted for about the tenth time. "I can sleep better if I'm not being distracted anyway."

"But I rather like distracting you, my dear," Lucius informed her with a grin.

"Have you checked for any unusual lighting?" she snickered as she flicked her eyes in the direction of his crotch.

"Seems okay so far," he said, trying to hide his smirk. "But perhaps it just needs regular infusions before it suffers such an effect."

"Hmm," Hermione said, her eyes already taking on the glazed appearance of a scientist ready to prove a hypothesis. "You may have a point."

"I shall return to you shortly, so we can put it to the test," said Lucius as he headed for the door.

"Be safe, Professor," Hermione told him in all seriousness.

"You, too," he replied, and then he was gone.

Hermione sighed softly as she rubbed a hand over her glowing belly. She was about to close her eyes when she heard a noise just outside the door.

"Lucius, are you back?" she called as she went to look into the front portion of his rooms, opening the door and beginning to step out.

Three basilisks had broken through the wall, and were halfway to the room she'd just been safely ensconced in. Hermione screamed, and went to slam the door shut again.

"Oh, no you don't," hissed a slightly bigger serpent as he surged forward and wrapped a couple of coils around her. "There's someone who wishes very much for me to bring you to see him, human. And it is my own wish to discover how you evaded the younglings yesterday. Pray that you survive the interview, for there is no guarantee that you will."

Hermione fainted, and the serpents dragged her back through the hole in the wall unhindered.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-Two: Dolohov's Prisoner

Hermione opened her eyes and sat up to almost total darkness. She had no idea where she was, nor how many hours had passed since the basilisks had taken her. Strangely, when she felt around a bit she discovered she was lying on a soft mattress on a cold stone floor.

"Hello?" she called softly. "Is anyone here?"

Her voice appeared to cause a flurry of slithering movements, and then a wand-light lit the area near her, revealing the smirking face of Antonin Dolohov as he stepped neatly over a few serpents' tails to reach her.

"Ah, Mudblood, I see you've finally awakened," he sneered. "I was beginning to think I would have to resort to drastic measures."

"Dolohov? I thought you were dead."

"Reports of my demise have been grossly exaggerated," he answered. "But I didn't bring you here to question me, girl. I want to know how you fended off the Mother. I could use that power for myself."

"Unfortunately for you, it's not a power I can give you," Hermione informed him smugly.

"Why not?" he wanted to know.

"Because I don't know how I did it," she lied, thinking to keep her baby safe from the evil man's apparent machinations. "I believe it must have been in large part due to the dire nature of that situation."

"So you're saying the only way I could obtain that spell would be to put you in danger again?" he chuckled. "My, you do like to make my job more enjoyable, don't you?"

Hermione clutched at her stomach as a sinking feeling rolled over her. She was surprised to find that it seemed just a bit larger than it had earlier, before she'd come here. This is so strange, she thought. But what will the baby do if Dolohov tries to place me in harm's way? I don't want her or him to draw attention.

"Why in bloody hell is your abdomen glowing like that?" Dolohov finally complained. "You're totally freaking me out."

"Oh, um, sorry," she answered, thinking quickly. "It's some sort of an allergic reaction. I guess not all potions meant for witches should be used on Muggleborns."

"What potion was it?" he wanted to know.

"Oh, just something for nausea," she said. "Home remedy, I guess. Draco made the stuff. Though I wouldn't put it past him to have slipped something into it. He does feel a bit jealous over me and his father."

"Lucius disgusts me," Dolohov growled. "How the mighty have fallen, when the staunchest of supporters is the first to abandon ship the moment things go a bit wrong."

"Excuse me for asking, but how do you mean 'a bit wrong'? Isn't the Dark Lord dead?" Hermione pointed out. "You can't get much more wrong than that, can you?"

"A mere technicality," Dolohov scoffed. "Voldemort was merely one descendant of Salazar Slytherin. He was not the only one, I can assure you."

"Are you still on about being Slytherin's heir?" Hermione scoffed.

"You would be wise not to mock the man who has control over whether you live or die," he told her fiercely. "In my regime, no Muggleborn will ever be allowed to speak to me that way."

"Seriously?" Hermione laughed. "You would be wise not to make threats you don't intend to carry out."

"What do you mean?" he demanded.

"You won't hurt me, firstly because you have not yet discovered my secret as to how we got away from the Mother, and perhaps even more importantly, you won't hurt me because you know what Lucius would do to you if you did."

"Lucius doesn't even know I am alive," Dolohov pointed out.

Hermione felt bile rise into her mouth at this thought. He was right about that. But once Lucius returned to his rooms he would immediately realize that she'd been taken by the serpents, and he would go looking for her. It mattered little that he didn't know that the man behind the abduction was one he had presumed dead.

"Perhaps," she conceded. "But that still does nothing for the first question."

"How long have you been glowing like that?" asked Dolohov shrewdly.

"At least a day, I guess, why?"

"I don't know, something about that keeps nagging at the back of my mind," he said. "I just can't remember why. But it'll come back to me, I'm sure."

"You've heard of a person glowing before?" asked Hermione worriedly.

"It was something my Mum said," he answered as he began to rub his temples. "Just never mind and go back to sleep. I need to figure out my next strategy."

"I think you should just go back to Hogwarts and let everyone know you're not dead," Hermione told him. "They'd all think you were a hero after managing to survive a basilisk attack."

"You're dreaming, Mudblood," he laughed. "No, I think I'll be keeping you as collateral. And if I get lucky, I may even manage to find out how that spell works. Now go to sleep, before I decide to give you the negative attentions you deserve."

Gasping, Hermione laid back down and closed her eyes without another word. She flinched when she heard Dolohov move just above her as he laughed. "Yes, I can see why even the mighty Lucius might be swayed by a pretty thing like you. Perhaps you'd make a good plaything. But why would he want to marry you? That, I don't understand at all."

#

"Keep going, we've got to find Hermione before it's too late," Lucius shouted desperately as he, Thorfinn and another Death Eater quickly followed the trail left by her abductors. "Why would the basilisks want to take a prisoner?" he speculated. "They usually wouldn't bother."

"Usually, yes, but this is no usual circumstance," Thorfinn pointed out. "You do know, Lucius, of what I speak?"

"The glow, yes?" he said. "Isn't it an old Slytherin wives' tale? Something about the heir's glow?"

"Do you suppose Merope had the glow, too?" Thorfinn speculated.

"And why would my child be an heir?" Lucius wanted to know. "The Malfoys are not directly descended from that line."

"But you've forgotten, Lucius, it's not just about lineage, but purpose," Thorfinn reminded him. "Your child must be destined for great things, to possess such power."

"It is the bed's fault," Lucius insisted.

"Regardless of why or how, Hermione is still carrying a child of destiny," he insisted. "She must be taken special care of."

"Assuming she isn't already basilisk lunch," commented the other Death Eater.

"What did you say your name was?" Lucius asked him.

"Darius, sir," he answered.

"Well, Darius," he said. "I've only brought you along so you can be basilisk lunch, so don't try my patience or I may just help that occurrence along."

"Yes, sir," he said, his eyes widening at the thought. He held his wand a bit higher as he continued to follow the trail into the darkness of the caves.


End file.
